Ulster Unionist Party Leader Robin Swann MLA has called on the Irish Government to seek to engage directly with the UK Government during the time left in Brexit negotiations.
Robin Swann MLA said:
“The latest comments coming from the European Commission about the prospect of a hard border on the island of Ireland in the event of a no deal scenario indicates that the EU is largely flying by the seat of its pants when it comes to the Irish border.
“The Ulster Unionist Party remains strongly of the view that leaving the European Union without a deal would be disastrous for Northern Ireland and must be avoided. That is why we made an early call for the extension of Article 50.
“At this late stage it is totally reckless for the EU Commission to start throwing around threats of a hard border, particularly when it totally contradicts what both they and the Irish Government have previously been saying, as recently as in the last 24 hours with a statement from the Office of the Taoiseach.
“The Irish Government should change tact in what time is left for negotiations and seek to engage directly with the UK Government as the two parties who are most aware of the need for pragmatism that comes with the geography and history of these islands.
“We have already made a call to see the Common Travel Area for people replicated for goods. The CTA for people has operated perfectly well and saw the Republic of Ireland negotiate to opt out of Schengen. We desperately need to see the same creativity and pragmatism in the coming weeks.”