‘Nasty surprise’ for those doubting EU-Irish unity

Those who doubt EU unity with Ireland will get a “nasty surprise”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned.

Ahead of next week’s publication of emergency legislation in the event of a no-deal, Government figures say it is now clear there is a “rump” of British MPs who are determined to see Britain crash out with no deal.

And with less than 20 days of the Dáil sitting before the March 29 exit date, the Government is set to ramp up preparations with fears the Brexit clock is at “five to midnight”.

Mr Varadkar dismissed reports that Irish goods may be subject to checks on mainland Europe if no border infrastructure is erected here after Brexit.

“We can’t allow a decision made in Britain to leave the European Union to undermine our membership of the single market and customs union, which we will protect,” he said.

With British prime minister Theresa May set to try and move her Brexit plan forward again on February 27, the Government believes an extension to the Brexit March deadline is possible. However, Mr Varadkar said it was not “inevitable”, while Tánaiste Simon Coveney said a natural extension could last to the end of June.

Mr Varadkar told an All-Ireland Brexit conference that anyone expecting unity from EU states to weaken in the weeks ahead was in for “a nasty surprise”.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said more detail was needed on Ireland’s contingency measures.

“The stakes are very serious for the livelihoods of many out there in different sectors,” he said.