Brexit: 'Fruitful' Talks On Irish Issues

There have been "fruitful" talks on Irish issues relating to Brexit, according to the European Commission's chief negotiator.

Michel Barnier also said "we are quite far from being able to say that sufficient progress has taken place".

He was speaking in Brussels at the end of the third week of Brexit negotiations.

Mr Barnier said: "The UK wants to take back control, wants to adopt its own standards and regulations - but it also wants to have these standards recognised automatically in the EU.

"That is what UK papers ask for. This is simply impossible. You cannot be outside the single market and shape its legal order."

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD that the Irish government must tackle any attempt by the British Government to undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

He was speaking following the conclusion of this phase of negotiations on Brexit.

Mr Adams said: "The fact that no definitive progress has been made in these talks is evidence that the British Brexit plans are unworkable and unrealistic.

"The Irish government should insist that the negotiations are not ready to move to the next stage.

"In the lead up to these negotiations, the British government produced a series of papers that were confused and contradictory.

"In relation to Ireland, the British Government said it is committed to safeguarding the Good Friday Agreement, opposing an EU Frontier in Ireland, and upholding Irish citizens’ rights.

"However, the position of the British government on leaving the Customs Union, Single Market, EU Court of Justice, and refusing to deal with the long term future of the European Convention of Human Rights directly contradicts their commitments on Ireland.

"It appears that in these negotiations the British government have been called out on these contradictions and have failed to bring forward solutions.

"At the same time, Theresa May has reiterated the nonsense that 'no deal is better than a bad deal', what is clear is that no deal is the worst outcome.

"What is required is for the North to designated Special Status within the EU to safeguard the rights of citizens, our agreements and our economy."

(CD)