Irish government has made no preparations for hard border, says Varadkar

Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said that his government has made “no preparations whatsoever” for a hard border on the island.

Despite the looming possibility of a no-deal Brexit, Mr Varadkar said he felt that if the Irish government made plans to facilitate a hard border it would become a “self-fulfilling prophecy”.

Speaking at a media briefing in Dublin on Thursday, the Taoiseach said the draft agreement currently tabled by Prime Minister Theresa May is the key to avoiding physical infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

“We are not preparing for a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” he said.

“We have made no preparations whatsoever for physical infrastructure or anything like that.

“We certainly do not want it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Mr Varadkar remained adamant about the border issue, but added there had already been some talks with the UK and Ireland’s European partners about difficulties Ireland could face if the UK changed their customs regulations.

“The answer I’ve been giving people all along is the honest truth,” he reiterated.

“We’re not making plans for a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Our focus is entirely on getting an agreement that ensures that that doesn’t happen.”

The Irish Government unveiled contingency plans to cope with a potential no-deal Brexit on Wednesday, identifying affected sectors that would require up to between 40 and 50 pieces of new legislation.

The no-deal plans include the purchase of land at ports to prevent congestion from new customs.

“The contingency plans we are making are very real but they are happening at our ports, particularly Dublin Port, Dublin Airport and Rosslare, where we have acquired or are in the process of acquiring land and will develop border control posts in those places,” Mr Varadkar added.

“They may be needed in March in the event of a hard Brexit, but if they are not needed in March, they will be, or are very likely to be, needed at some point into the future.

“So that is the contingency planning that we are making, but we are not making to the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

“We simply cannot countenance that being the case.

“We want to work with the UK and our EU partners to secure agreement of the Withdrawal Agreement which of course not only guarantees that there won’t be a hard border, it guarantees there will never be a hard border and that’s why it is such an important treaty.

“As I say, the whole principle of avoiding a hard border can only be achieved with a deal and its customs divergence which would create the problem.

“In the event of a no deal Brexit – I am nearly always loathe to speculate on because it is speculation, and a lot of it raises more questions than I can give answers – If the UK crashed out of the European Union at the end of March they would still be aligned on customs and regulations.

“So the problem would only arise if they decided in some way to change their customs and regulations – and that’s where it could get difficult.

“But that is something obviously we are going to have to talk to them about in a no-deal scenario.

“There is a real understanding across the EU that this isn’t a typical border, that this is a border that goes through villages, goes through farms, goes through businesses and of course is a border that people fought and killed other people over.”