Thread by @faisalislam

Now travelled from Larne in Northern Ireland, across the border, through Storm Callum to Galway to meet @simoncoveney telling packed hall of Irish businesses that its Government will pay for their Brexit readiness plans, as they shift supply chains from UK via @BrexitReadyIRL

“Fail to prepare and prepare to fail” is message from the Irish DPM Coveney praising the Roy Keane mantra of “obsessive preparation” of Irish business for Brexit...He’s brought all the Irish Government top Brexit advisers to meet Irish business as part of this tour now in Galway

Newsworthy interview with @simoncoveney incoming on Sky News.. till then in Galway, Ireland’s extraordinary business preparedness roadshow involving €5000 grants, advice, €100 millions subsidised loans for Brexit affected business.

There is nothing like this happening in U.K.:

NEW: Irish Deputy PM @simoncoveney tells me on @skynews: “we cant accept a time limit” on the backstop proposal, directly contradicting Brexit Secretary Raab saying backstop “would have to be time limited in order for it to be supported here”.

/5

Will it last 3 years?
Coveney: ”If the issues aren’t resolved in three years you can’t do away with the insurance mechanism”.
How long then?
“with respect thats up to the British Government who need to decide what they want for the future”.
2/5

Coveney: “We cant accept a time limit, but we can accept it will only be there unless and until something better is agreed in the future, which is what everyone wants,”
3/5

Coveney urged caution on optimistic deal talk:
“Whether that can happen as early next week I’m not sure, people need to be cautious on that”.
... and he suggested the debate on Chequers was irrelevant “Nobody’s voting on chequers between now and when Britain leaves the EU”
4/5

On the notion the backstop crosses the DUP’s red lines, Coveney tells me: “The DUP represents a minority of people in NI, majority voted to stay in, though we have to respect the broad decision of the UK and we do, but parties rep majority in NI.. back a sensible backstop”
5/5

FULL STORY:
Simon Coveney, Irish DPM tells Sky News
“We can’t accept a time limit” on the Irish Brexit backstop and plays down chances of a deal next week:
news.sky.com/story/ireland-…

On video above ⬆️ showing me round his Brexit preparedness event, Irish DPM describes the approach of some in UK as
“holding a gun to your head and saying I will pull the trigger unless you give me what - it doesnt make much sense to me” and mimics the motion of shooting...

our report from Galway today - on Irish Brexit preparedness incl state bank loan guarantees for eg cheddar producers to switch to mozzarella, Irish DPM offering thousands of euros to Irish businesses to plan to change supply chains & to cope “if there’s a collapse in sterling”

He says it’s “Project Truth” and not Project Fear.

It is incredible that there are businesses HQd in the UK that are getting state subsidised loans to effect Brexit supply chain transformation - but not from NI/UK Gov but from Irish Govt using European Investment Bank guarantees