Simon Coveney: There'll be no condoning of Britain's threat to breach international law

Minister for foreign affairs Simon Coveney arriving at the Convention Centre Dublin for a Dail session. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Ireland will not appease the British Government if it follows through on its threat to break international law by reneging on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney blasted the British Government’s confirmation that it intends to break international law by undermining the Withdrawal Agreement.

“There'll be no appeasing of this approach. There'll be no condoning of a strategy that proposes to breach international law to undermine and agreements that the EU and the UK signed together,” he said.

He said he was aware of the briefings and comments regarding the UK government's intentions relating to the provisions of the withdrawal agreement.

“If those comments represent the considered view of the British government, then I find them gravely concerning. Earlier this week, we raised the media reports and briefings on this issue with the UK through diplomatic and official channels to express our concerns, as you would expect.

“However, rather than being reassured my concerns have been exacerbated by the additional comments deliberately made in the House of Commons today. Openly committing the UK Government to legislate to break international law, in relation to the withdrawal agreement,” he said.

Mr Coveney after British Northern Irish Secretary Brandon Lewis confirmed to the House of Commons that the changes proposed do indeed break international law.

Mr Lewis conceded it would go against the treaty in a "specific and limited way".

When asked are the changes in breach of current law, Mr Lewis replied: "Yes. This does break international law in a very specific and limited way."

He said the government was still working "in good faith" with the EU joint committee to overcome its concerns for the future of trade in Northern Ireland, but said there was "clear precedence for UK and indeed other countries needing to consider their obligations if circumstances change".

Former Prime Minister Theresa May warned the change could damage "trust" in the UK over future trade deals with other states.

The permanent secretary to the Government Legal Department, Sir Jonathan Jones, has announced he resigning from government in light of the bill, making him the sixth senior civil servant to leave Whitehall this year.

Sir Jonathan, who is the government's most senior lawyer, is understood to have believed the plans went too far in breaching the government's obligations under international law.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemned the bill and accused No 10 of "reopening old arguments that had been settled", saying the "focus should be on getting a [trade] deal done" with the EU.

In the Dáil, Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan said the confirmation from Mr Lewis was a sign that it was not mere “sabre rattling” as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar described it on Monday but the reality.

Mr O’Callaghan said he was “astonished” to hear Mr Lewis’ comments but said the Irish government should call off the talks if the British Government follow through on their threat.

“What we cannot do is to become appeasers of a government that is blatantly engaging in breaches of international law,” Mr O’Callaghan added.

The Government will announce its Brexit contingency plans today.