Ireland Brexit nightmare: Business chief says Dublin 'beyond nervous' over no deal threat
BRITISH Irish Chamber of Commerce boss John McGrane admitted business in Ireland is "beyond nervous" at the prospect of Britain quitting the European Union without a formal Brexit deal.
Brexit: Irish business director ‘beyond nervous’ over no deal
Mr McGrane also admitted to a sense of frustration among businesses in Ireland at the lack of progress in Brexit talks between the United Kingdom and the European Union in over three years. Talks between the British Government and the bloc have been deadlocked as the EU refused to heed to calls to remove the Irish backstop from the current withdrawal agreement. Speaking to the Today programme, the boss of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce said: "We’re beyond nervous, to be honest with you.
"There is a frustration on all sides with the fact that this hasn’t really gone anywhere in three and a half years."
Asked whether Ireland will soon give into British demands to ensure a deal is in place on October 31, Mr McGrane responded: "I probably wouldn’t see this in terms of blinking or not blinking, it’s really serious stuff.
"What I would observe from a trade perspective is there is a massive trade consensus on the significance of the Northern Ireland/Irish Republic border."
The Central Bank of Ireland earlier this year estimated the Irish GDP would shed over 4 percent in the event of a no deal compared to 0.8 percent if the UK quit the bloc with a formal arrangement.
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DUP leader Arlene Foster insisted the British Government is striving to get a good deal for "the whole of the United Kingdom" and for "our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland."
Ms Foster urged Brussels and Dublin to reconsider their hard stance on the backstop and accept a deal will need to exclude similar policies to be acceptable to the UK.
Brexiteers have voiced concerns the backstop, which was originally designed to avoid the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland, could be used to keep the UK closely aligned to the single market and the customs union.
The DUP leader said: "The backstop has always been identified as the huge stumbling bloc – let’s fix it and let’s get a deal.
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"I very much hope that not only the Irish but the whole of the EU 27 are prepared to do a deal that’s good not just for us.
"We care about what happens to our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland as well because we know that a no deal is bad for the Republic of Ireland.
"A no deal is not a final destination, it’s something you would have to come back to and negotiate again so let us get a deal now so none of us have to go through that pain."
Ms Foster added: "If there is a willingness to find a solution to this issue, it will be found."
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Boris Johnson is set to present his plan for an alternative to the backstop to Brussels following his speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister's vision is to create two borders for a period of four years as an alternative solution to the Irish backstop, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The temporary border is set to be established between Britain and Northern Ireland in the Irish sea while a secondary set of customs checks takes place between Ulster and the Republic.
Following those four years, the Northern Irish Assembly will then be given the option to remain aligned to the EU in the future.
If the Northern Irish Assembly decides not to, it will continue to follow British rules.