The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned that the possibility of achieving an open borders between the North and the South once the UK leaves the EU will be extremely difficult.
Speaking after a week of meetings in Brussels with fellow EU leaders, Mr Varadkar said the issue is one of the most important issues facing Ireland once the UK leaves the common market in 2019.
Although his counterpart British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she wants the soft border to remain as seamless as possible, Mr Varadkar strongly believes such an outcome will be a lot harder to obtain.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday Mr Varadkar said:”From my meetings in Brussels and elsewhere, there is a real understanding of the issues that are unique to Ireland, a sympathy for us and a lot of goodwill,” Leo Varadkar told the National Economic Dialogue at Dublin Castle this morning.
“But turning those into practical solutions that will be written in law is going to be extremely difficult… The Irish issues, including avoiding an economic border, will not be easy to solve.”
He added: “The circumstances that are affecting Ireland are an extremely important issue amongst leaders in Brussels”