Common Travel Area Between UK And RoI Among PM's Brexit Priorities

Prime Minister Theresa May has said keeping the common travel area between the UK and Republic of Ireland (RoI) will be a priority in EU divorce talks.

Mrs May set out the 12 negotiating priorities for Brexit as part of the Plan for Britain after leaving the EU.

She said: "We cannot forget that, as we leave, the United Kingdom will share a land border with the EU, and maintaining that common travel area with the Republic of Ireland will be an important priority for the UK in the talks ahead.

"There has been a common travel area between the UK and the Republic of Ireland for many years.

"Indeed, it was formed before either of our two countries were members of the European Union. And the family ties and bonds of affection that unite our two countries mean that there will always be a special relationship between us.

"So we will work to deliver a practical solution that allows the maintenance of the common travel area with the Republic, while protecting the integrity of the United Kingdom's immigration system.

"Nobody wants to return to the borders of the past, so we will make it a priority to deliver a practical solution as soon as we can."

The Irish Government welcomed the fact that it provides greater clarity on the proposed approach of the British Government to the Brexit negotiation process.

"For Ireland, the priorities for the negotiation process that lies ahead are unchanged: our economic and trading arrangements, the Northern Ireland Peace Process including border issues, the common travel area, and the future of the European Union.

"The Government notes that the British approach is now firmly that of a country which will have left the EU but which seeks to negotiate a new, close relationship with it. While this will inevitably be seen by many as a 'hard exit' the analysis across Government has covered all possible models for the future UK relationship with the EU."

Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd has described the Brexit plan as a "wish list", which will create a hard border on the island.

Mr O'Dowd said: "Theresa May's 'plan' clearly shows she is ignoring the views of the people of the north.

"It is a wish list which does not have the agreement of the people of the north to move forward.

"People's day to day lives already being impacted price. The price of fuel and home heating oil etc have already increased, as a result ordinary people are already experiencing the negative impact of Brexit.

"Her intentions to leave the single market and her indecisiveness about the customs union will have a detrimental impact on the economy in the north and across island.

"Exiting the single market and customs union would create a hard border on the island of Ireland and soft words from Theresa May mean nothing.

"It is worth noting that the Joint Ministerial Council are meeting on Thursday. Theresa May announcing her Brexit plan today shows clearly she is not interested in listening to the views of the Executive or the Scottish or Welsh administrations.

"The British Tory government is not listening.

"Sinn Féin's position in clear, 56 percent of the people here voted to remain and those voices need to be heard."

(CD/LM)