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Up to 100 demonstrators gathered outside Leinster House in Dublin on Monday morning to protest against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson\u2019s visit to Dublin.<\/p>\nUp to 100 demonstrators gathered outside Leinster House in Dublin on Monday morning to protest against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson\u2019s visit to Dublin.<\/p>\n
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with Mr Johnson at Government Buildings in Dublin.<\/p>\n
The protest was led by Seamus McDonnell from Co Armagh who chanted: \u201cNo customs, no border, no Brexit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in councilor Dessie Ellis said: \u201cWe\u2019re here today to protest against Boris Johnson\u2019s visit to Dublin.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to send out a strong message that we will not stand for a hard border or any border.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are people from all around the country here to tell him that today, but particularly from the border region,\u201d Mr Ellis added.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople living in the border region will suffer immensely if a border comes back so the Taoiseach needs to stand strong, stand his ground and give that message from the Irish people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this visit from Boris Johnson is all about the optics. I would be very surprised if he delivers anything because he has been spoofing all throughout his negotiations with the EU, so why is he going to treat the Irish government any differently?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Protester Fergal Donnelly, from Co Tyrone, said Mr Johnson \u201cis hell bent on pursuing a no-deal Brexit\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur message is Ireland will not be collateral damage. Boris Johnson can pursue his own strategies in his own country but we are not going to be dragged out of the EU.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafety and prosperity for citizens north and south of the border won\u2019t be compromised while we are here,\u201d Mr Donnelly said.<\/p>\n
Protester Marie Barry, from Co Cork, said: \u201cI believe Boris Johnson is using our city as a commute stop to try and convince the people across the water in England that he is trying to get them a deal. He is not. He is lying through his teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is disgraceful how he is behaving and we don\u2019t want any kind of border back,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Sarah Franklin said she joined the protest because she felt it was important to avoid any sort of border between Ireland and the UK: \u201cI came out here to protest today because it is important we don\u2019t have a hard border or a soft border or in the Irish sea. A hard border will throw us back into the dark ages,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody here wants to see a return to violence. We were successful in bringing peace to Ireland so if we have a hard border we will have a descent into violence and crime and not a citizen on this island wants that,\u201d Ms Franklin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important we don\u2019t let Boris Johnson, and what remains of his Government, to ride roughshod over us here in Dublin.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister, in Dublin for talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar, said he believed it was possible to secure an agreement ahead of the UK\u2019s scheduled withdrawal at the end of October.<\/p>\n
However, Mr Varadkar said that while Ireland was open to alternative solutions to the Northern Ireland backstop, they had yet to see any \u201clegally workable\u201d proposals from the UK.<\/p>\n