Hard border a possibility after Brexit, Taoiseach acknowledges

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted a hard border with checkpoints between the Republic and the North is inevitable if Britain leaves the EU without any deal.

Mr Varadkar was forced to acknowledge the situation as Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin claimed the Government “over-hyped” last December’s bullet-proof soft border deal which is now in doubt.

During Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil, Mr Varadkar said that he is willing to help British prime minister Theresa May resolve the crisis, but Mr Martin questioned how a soft border can be created if Britain leaves both the single market and customs union.