Taoiseach Leo Varadkar just now in Dublin: (is he putting distance between himself and the Thorntan Manor deal?)
Said after his meeting with @BorisJohnson that he saw a pathway towards an agreement. "But there's a difference between a pathway and an agreement.
Said after his meeting with @BorisJohnson that he saw a pathway towards an agreement. "But there's a difference between a pathway and an agreement.
"We discussed those key stumbling blocks, consent and democracy, customs and the wider issues of the north-south, east-west relationship. I think we had a broad meeting of minds and a landing zone in mind, but turning that into a new legal agreement is a different thing
"That's the kind of work that's underway. Our objectives have always been the same, it's to avoid a hard border north and south, it's to allow the all-island economy to thrive, it's to all north-south cooperation to resume as envisaged in the GFA, but also the integrity of the SM
"That's very much where the EU, our partners come in. I would never ask the Commission or the member states to compromise the single market, because our jobs and our economy and our security depends on that too."
"We're going to have to see how the next few days develop. If we can get to an agreement, on Thurs or Fri, and if the HoC is able to vote in favour of an indicative vote in favour of that agreement on Saturday it may not be necessary to even consider an extension.
