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The Taoiseach has said the last thing the UK and Ireland need in the midst of Covid-19 is a \u201csecond seismic shock\u201d caused by a no-deal Brexit.<\/p>\nThe Taoiseach has said the last thing the UK and Ireland need in the midst of Covid-19 is a \u201csecond seismic shock\u201d caused by a no-deal Brexit.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin told the D\u00e1il the trade negotiations between the EU and the UK had \u201cintensified\u201d in the past week and were now at a \u201cvery crucial point\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said the negotiations need to \u201cyield a sensible outcome\u201d and that the last thing the UK and Irish economies need is a \u201csecond seismic shock\u201d caused by a no-deal Brexit.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin described such an outcome as a comprehensive free trade agreement without any tariffs or quotas that would limit the damage Brexit would cause for the Irish, European and UK economies.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the enormous negative impact that Covid-19 has had on our economy and on jobs the last thing that our respective economies need is a second seismic shock via a no-deal Brexit,\u201d Mr Martin said.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader also said any deal would need to \u201clead to a neutralization of the offending clauses of the Internal Markets Bill\u201d and lead to \u201cstrict adherence to the protocol and the Withdrawal Agreement\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added that he welcomed the decision taken in the British House of Lords on Monday in relation to the controversial Internal Markets Bill.<\/p>\n
His comments come as 10 Downing Street said the bill was unlikely to return to the UK parliament until the end of November at the earliest.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in leader Mary Lou McDonald told the D\u00e1il that the election of Joe Biden as US president has \u201cthe potential to reshape the nature of the Brexit negotiation\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald said Mr Biden\u2019s election was \u201cgood for Ireland in many ways\u201d, and that the president-elect had \u201cmade it clear\u201d that there would be no trade deal with Britain unless the Good Friday Agreement is safeguarded in all of its parts.<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald said: \u201cHe is as we know proud of his Irish roots and without doubt a long-standing friend of Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the presidential election campaign and indeed throughout his time in office he has acted to promote and protect peace, progress and the Good Friday Agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes to the office of president at a time of threat from the British government with Brexit and their refusal to honor agreements looming large.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe election of Joe Biden has the potential to reshape the nature of the Brexit negotiation particularly with regards to the aggressive and arrogant approach taken by the Tory government and Boris Johnson to Irish interests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout this process Tories have actively sought to undermine the Good Friday Agreement and most recently Mr Johnson has played the reckless game by using as a bargaining chip the protection secured for Ireland as part of the Withdrawal Agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cCentral to this game-playing has been Mr Johnson\u2019s dangerous Internal Markets Bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she said she still believed a Brexit trade deal was possible.<\/p>\n