Varadkar plays down hopes of deal with British in ‘high stakes’ talks

A North-only backstop will be one of solutions discussed between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and British prime minister Boris Johnson today in fresh attempts to break the Brexit deadlock.

Nonetheless, Mr Varadkar played down any prospects of a deal being struck between the two leaders as they hold their first face-to-face meeting in Dublin.

It comes as Mr Johnson’s administration is set to again ask MPs in the House of Commons this evening to support a snap election. A similar move last week failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed.

A row among British MPs has also broken out over suggestions by Mr Johnson’s government that they may flout a new law requiring a Brexit extension if no deal is secured by October 19.

Mr Johnson came under fire over the weekend for his handling of Brexit negotiations. Cabinet member Amber Rudd resigned, claiming there was no evidence that he was trying to get a deal. Other ministers look poised to quit.

On a visit to Dublin Port to inspect Brexit preparations, Mr Varadkar signalled that a North-only backstop would be discussed. This would see regulatory alignment between the North and South only, an option mooted in December 2017 between the EU and Britain.

The protocol in the current withdrawal agreement mandates regulatory alignment between Ireland and the whole of Britain. Brexit supporters say it would prevent new trade deals and trap Britain in the EU’s trading block.

Asked whether Ireland would consider a return to the earlier option, Mr Varadkar said: “It will be interesting to see whether we can explore tomorrow whether we could find some common ground on a Northern Ireland-specific solution, but I will have to judge that tomorrow.”

Britain’s negotiators suggest that common rules for checking animals and animal products be established across the whole island as an alternative to the backstop. However, Mr Varadkar said an all-island system of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) inspections on agricultural products only accounted for 30% of border checks.

“It’s not enough on its own,” he said.

We would need a single Irish economic zone, or whatever you would like to call it, to cover more than agriculture and food.

Mr Varadkar said he was not expecting a big breakthrough in the talks in Dublin, but he saw the meeting as “an opportunity to establish a relationship to see what common ground might exist”. He added: “But the stakes are high, certainly; I don’t think anyone can argue with that.”

He said he did not share Mr Johnson’s view that he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than see a request for a Brexit extension from the EU. Mr Varadkar will also enquire about the reality of getting any new Brexit deal agreed.

“Prime Minister Johnson doesn’t have a majority, so I’ll be asking him how he can convince us — Ireland and the EU — how he is capable of getting a vote through,” said Mr Varadkar.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told the Irish Examiner that support is guaranteed for the Government here even if Britain holds an election or there is a Brexit extension. No snap election should be held until at least after Christmas, he said.

Nonetheless, as Fianna Fáil holds its pre-Dáil meeting in Wexford, Mr Martin said his party has “red lines” over Budget 2020 and is giving “no blank cheque” to the Government. These include demands for funding for health and other services next year; a nationwide ban on smoky coal; resources for cycleways and biodiversity, and affordable housing.

Mr Martin says Fine Gael plans for tax cuts should be dropped — a view also supported by Labour yesterday.

“I don’t think we can [afford them],” said Mr Martin. “All of the economic analysis from the ESRI, to the Central Bank, to IFAC, to the independent parliamentary budget office, now is that the economy doesn’t require that stimulus right now, but that we need to be cautious in this budget.

“That is our position — to be cautious.”