Northern Ireland

Simon Coveney cautions over progress towards a Brexit deal

Simon Coveney dismissed suggestions that there was progress being made. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Simon Coveney dismissed suggestions that there was progress being made. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire Simon Coveney dismissed suggestions that there was progress being made. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire

SIMON Coveney has said Wednesday night's meeting between the taoiseach and DUP leader Arlene Foster should not be interpreted as some kind of breakthrough on Brexit.

The tánaiste also warned that time was running out for the British government to table credible proposals to get a revised deal from the EU.

He dismissed suggestions by the British government that it was making intensive efforts and that there was progress being made.

"Let me just introduce a dose of reality here, there is a significant gap between what the British government have been talking about in terms of their approach and what the EU is able to accept in the context of trying to get a deal here and that gap needs to close here with credible written proposals from the British side," he said.

Mr Coveney said that in order to close that gap the Dublin government needed credible proposals, which had yet to materialise.

"Until we get proposals in writing there isn’t a lot of credibility to what’s being said," he said

The Fine Gael deputy described the meeting between the taoiseach and Ms Foster's as "very positive" although he said it did not solve all the problems.

In Dublin on Wednesday night, the DUP leader said she wanted a solution to Brexit that does not affect Northern Ireland's constitutional position.

Her comments come amid continued speculation that her party's stance on a deal with the EU is softening in the face of sustained concern among the business and farming communities.

Mrs Foster has refuted suggestions that her party's line has changed, citing the joint letter she signed with Martin McGuinness in 2016 and the DUP's 2017 Westminster manifesto, where she said "we talked about the need to find a sensible deal and a sensible way forward".

She said it was important there is an understanding of both the nationalist and unionist position.

"There are no unionist MLAs who support the backstop at present so therefore there is a need to find a way forward which everybody can buy in to."

"There is a lot of commentary about the DUP being no-deal Brexiteers, but I think as people look at the evidence they will find something very different."

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin voiced hope that a "Northern Ireland-specific solution" could pave the way to a Brexit deal.

He urged both sides in the negotiations to indulge in less "megaphone diplomacy and triumphalism", and focus on securing an agreement.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to say that you can move from a UK-wide backstop to a Northern Ireland-specific solution," he said.

SDLP leader said Mrs Foster appeared willing to rule out every form of Brexit apart from a no-deal.

"If the DUP wants to look at parallel consent as an option they should consider that unionists and nationalists came together to deny their consent for Brexit in 2016 – that is the mandate they should be defending," he said.

Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey said the DUP had failed to come up with any proposals over the past three-and-half years.

Alliance’s Stephen Farry said the backstop was “fundamentally in Northern Ireland's interest”.

“I don't know if the DUP are belatedly recognising this reality but if not, they need to cease searching for magic solutions when the necessary safeguards are already in front of them,” he said.