Ireland discusses future with EU

by Our Foreign Desk

IRELAND’s jobs minister met officials in Brussels yesterday to discuss the effect of Brexit on free movement between Northern Ireland and the republic.

Speaking ahead of the trip, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said she would stress the importance of avoiding customs or trade barriers during the talks at the European Parliament (EP).

The Fine Gael TD said: “It is crucial that the EU institutions at the highest levels fully appreciate the potential impacts for Ireland at the earliest stage, before any detailed negotiation process, that will prepare the terms for the UK’s departure and its future relationship with the EU.”

Ms Mitchell O’Connor will take part in a series of meetings with European Internal Market Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmstrom and EU internal market committee chair Vicky Ford MEP.

She said she would emphasise “our desire to avoid the introduction of customs or trade barriers, the competitiveness challenge, and our ability to sustain engagement in research co-operation, including under EU funding programmes.”

The Common Travel Area allows free movement of people between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain.

During a visit to Northern Ireland last week, Brexit Minister David Davis said Britain and the Republic of Ireland wanted to retain an open border.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has also said there is a strong will from both governments to ensure that there was no return to the borders of the past while Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan has insisted the two countries must keep the “invisible” border that exists at present after Brexit.

Meanwhile, trade and single market issues including deals with the US (TTIP and Canda (Ceta), and the Commission’s initiatives to achieve progress on strengthening Europe’s single market will also be on the minister’s agenda.

Ms Mitchell O’Connor is expected to underline Irish support for the EU’s trade agenda in order to ensure that Irish exporters gain greater market share in existing markets and improved terms of entry to new markets, while urging progress on the EU’s trade negotiations which have yet to be implemented (Ceta or TTIP).

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