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The Government’s fundamental position in relation to the Brexit backstop is reflected and protected in the draft Brexit deal agreed in Brussels, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
He was speaking after the Cabinet met especially for two hours yesterday where ministers were briefed in detail about the provisions which protects an ideal of no border on the island of Ireland and respects the principle of a legally-binding backstop.
Ministers were remaining tight-lipped as a forced lockdown on speaking to the media was being enforced by Mr Varadkar’s office to allow events to play out in London.
“Back in December when the joint report — the agreement between the EU and UK — was issued, I said the next step was to turn that joint report that we agreed back in December into a legally binding and legally operable withdrawal agreement and we are close to that point today,” the Taoiseach said.
Being careful in the Dáil not to say anything which would risk inflaming matters in London, Mr Varadkar said yesterday: “But it is still a draft agreement. It is yet to be agreed by the UK Government and they will discuss it — it is yet to be agreed by the European Council, and we may be in a position to have an emergency European Council meeting before the end of the month to do exactly that.”
.@campaignforleo says they have reached a ‘satisfactory outcome’ on each of their key priorities #brexit pic.twitter.com/6iGZvIJY78— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 14, 2018
Mr Varadkar fielded questions in the Dáil after briefing ministerial colleagues on the draft text in an emergency Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings.
He also told TDs if the British Cabinet was to be content with the text of the proposed deal, it was proposed the European Commission’s taskforce would be in a position to publish the text with the possibility, or probability, of an EU council meeting around November 25.
Mr Varadkar said he did not want to speak publicly on the fine detail of the draft agreement, stressing the process was at a very sensitive stage. In advance of yesterday’s afternoon meeting of the British Cabinet, he said: “I don’t want to say anything here today that might up-end that Cabinet meeting or make things any more difficult than they are already for the prime minister.
“We’re very happy to have that written into any agreement giving them that legal guarantee.”
Mr Varadkar stressed the draft agreement would also have to be ratified by Westminster and the European Parliament. The Taoiseach said, while not necessary, it was his view that the text should also be put to a vote in Leinster House.
He said the Government planned, last evening, to brief all the opposition party leaders and their teams if his administration was in a position to publish the text.
Mr Varadkar said his government had arranged to have a briefing with Northern Ireland parties this morning.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said relations between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are at their lowest in decades due to Brexit.
“No one can doubt that relations between the Government in Dublin and political unionism are at their lowest point in at least 20 years. There has been a return to rhetorical sniping which has had much more impact than various welcome but largely marginal cultural gestures.”
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