Irish government says no-deal Brexit would ‘devastate’ Northern Ireland As Boris Johnson looks set to take office, the Irish government has warned him not to risk peace in Northern Ireland

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney has warned that a no-deal Brexit would be “devastating” for the economy of Northern Ireland.

Mr Coveney, who serves as the Republic of Ireland’s Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) made the comments in a column published in The Sunday Times ahead of the end of the Conservative leadership election.

In the piece, Mr Coveney says the Irish government will “work closely with the new prime minister to advance our shared interests,” but issued a clear warning about the destabilising impact that a no-deal Brexit would have.

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Fundamental disruption

He warned: “Northern Ireland is more at risk from a no-deal Brexit than any other part of these islands. It is a unique place where people have a birthright to identify themselves as British or Irish or both. Its people did not vote for Brexit.

“A no-deal Brexit will devastate the Northern Irish economy with tariffs and rules that will fundamentally disrupt the all-island economy upon which so much progress has been built.”

Mr Coveney warned that the Northern Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement exists “to protect the Good Friday Agreement,” adding that nothing should be done “to put at risk peace on the island of Ireland.”

The Irish politician pointed to comments from Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Simon Byrne, who has warned that a hard Brexit would have an “absolutely detrimental” impact on the peace process.

Mr Byrne has warned: “We are worried that in the short term a hard Brexit will create a vacuum which becomes a rally call and recruiting ground for dissident republicans and clearly any rise in their popularity or their capability would be very serious.”

Backstop ‘dead’

The backstop is an insurance policy in the withdrawal agreement that would allow for an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which would come into effect if the UK fails to broker a trade agreement with the EU.

Under the plan, Northern Ireland would remain aligned to the rules of the EU single market.



Boris Johnson, who is expected to prevail in the leadership contest, has said that the notion of a backstop for Northern Ireland is “dead.”

Asked if the plan could be revived as part of a fresh withdrawal agreement during a leadership hustings, Mr Johnson said: “The answer is no. The problem is really fundamental. It needs to come out.”

He has also ruled out “time limits or unilateral escape hatches or all those kind of elaborate devices, glosses, codicils and so on that you could apply to the backstop.”