Varadkar: UK threat to roll back on Brexit deal 'posturing' and 'sabre-rattling'

The UK is reportedly considering legislation that would undermine the agreement on Northern Ireland. File photo.

The Government has accused its British counterpart of "sabre-rattling" and "posturing" on the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

It has been reported that the UK is considering using sections of legislation due to be published on Wednesday to “eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement”, including those involving state aid and Northern Ireland customs. That would undermine the agreement on Northern Ireland that the prime minister signed last October.

However, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said the British government does not have the power to change withdrawal agreement.

Cabinet will, today, publish a substantial memorandum to prepare the country for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit come January 1.

The Tánaiste said: "The withdrawal agreement, including the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, is an international agreement. International agreements and international treaties have to be honoured and they trump any domestic legislation that any country may have.

"That agreement is in place to ensure that we don't see the emergence of a hard border between North and South — something we all want to avoid. At this point in negotiations you often see a certain level of sabre-rattling and a certain level of posturing if you like, so our response to this is going to be measured."

He said negotiations between the EU and the UK are "ongoing" and the Government is keen to see an agreement in place before the end of the year.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said if the UK goes ahead with the changes it would "fundamentally undermine" Brexit talks at a crucial stage.

"I hope that is a false story," Mr Coveney said, but he added: "To be honest with you, nothing surprises me on the Brexit negotiations".

He suggested "political gamesmanship" could be at play.

"It's important to say that we shouldn't overreact to what, at the moment, is simply a leak and a media story that is suggesting that the UK this week will introduce a piece of legislation, which will undermine the commitments that they've made in the withdrawal agreement to the EU.

"If that were to happen, I think it would have a very negative impact on the negotiations that are currently under way. If there's any suggestion that the UK are not going to implement the legal obligations that they have on what has already been agreed in the withdrawal agreement that would in my view fundamentally undermine trust between the two parties," he said.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said any suggestion or any move of bad faith in respect of the withdrawal agreement by the British government is completely unacceptable.

Ms McDonald called on the government to make clear any moves would be “very dangerous”.

“The message is very clear that the withdrawal agreement has been signed, sealed and delivered, that the Irish protocol is part and parcel of that. And there is no plan B there is no rolling back from that position, and it's essential that the government is absolutely crystal clear on that,” she said.

“We have agreed that there could be no damage to the Good Friday Agreement that there can be no hardening of the border on the island of Ireland and Ireland cannot be the collateral damage for this Tory Brexit,” Ms McDonald said.