Irish PM holds news conference after EU summit
795 views · Published 23 October 2018 · 2:16 · Indexed 26 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(18 Oct 2018) Ireland's Prime Minister on Thursday said Brexit was not a "passing squall," comparing the UK-EU divorce to the "political equivalent of climate change." Speaking at a news conference during the second day of an EU summit, Taioseach Leo Varadkar stressed that Brexit will "permanently change" the relationship between Ireland and the UK, as well as the UK and the EU. Commenting on the idea of an extended Brexit transition period, Varadkar said that Ireland would never want to have to invoke a backstop with Northern Ireland, adding that his country wishes to devote the implementation phase for trade negotiations. "If it has to be invoked it should only apply unless and until we have a new agreement in place," Varadkar said. Seeking to unblock Britain's stalled divorce talks with the EU, UK Prime Minister Theresa May earlier during the summit said a proposed 21-month transition period for the UK after Brexit could be extended by "a matter of months." At present, the two sides say Britain will remain inside the EU's vast single market, and subject to the bloc's regulations, from the day it leaves until December 2020, to give time for new trade relations to be set up. The EU has said extending that period would give more time to strike a trade deal that ensures the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland remains friction-free - the main sticking point in the Brexit talks. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/81949075efa646aeb4a4dd34978d7f06
