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| Brexit: Hard border for island of Ireland says Sinn Féin | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Exiting the European Customs Union creates a "hard border on the island of Ireland", Sinn Féin has said. | Exiting the European Customs Union creates a "hard border on the island of Ireland", Sinn Féin has said. |
| Outlining her plans for the UK leaving the EU, Theresa May said Brexit means leaving the union. | |
| It currently allows tariff and paperwork-free trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. | It currently allows tariff and paperwork-free trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. |
| But the Prime Minister said: "Full membership of the customs union prevents us from negotiating our own comprehensive trade deals." | But the Prime Minister said: "Full membership of the customs union prevents us from negotiating our own comprehensive trade deals." |
| She said she would now seek to negotiate a new customs deal with the EU, which would allow tariff free trade to continue. | She said she would now seek to negotiate a new customs deal with the EU, which would allow tariff free trade to continue. |
| However, If a deal cannot be achieved it could lead to the return of some form of customs checks along the Irish border. | However, If a deal cannot be achieved it could lead to the return of some form of customs checks along the Irish border. |
| What is a customs union and why does it matter? | |
| A customs union is a form of trade agreement between two or more countries. | |
| It means they decide not to impose tariffs (taxes on imports) on each other's goods and agree to impose common external tariffs on goods from countries outside their customs union. | |
| Setting common external tariffs is what distinguishes a customs union from a free trade area. | |
| The key argument for leaving the customs union is that it will allow the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements. | |
| Read more here. | |
| Reacting to the Brexit speech, Sinn Féin MLA, John O'Dowd said: "Exiting the single European market, exiting the customs union, creates a hard border on the island of Ireland. | Reacting to the Brexit speech, Sinn Féin MLA, John O'Dowd said: "Exiting the single European market, exiting the customs union, creates a hard border on the island of Ireland. |
| "Warm words, soft words from Theresa May mean nothing. | "Warm words, soft words from Theresa May mean nothing. |
| "She has agreement with no-one in these islands in relation to how to move forward. | "She has agreement with no-one in these islands in relation to how to move forward. |
| "She doesn't have agreement with the European Union on how to move forward. | "She doesn't have agreement with the European Union on how to move forward. |
| "Her intentions to leave the Single European Market and her intentions to leave the customs union are going to have a detrimental impact on the economy in the north and across this island. | "Her intentions to leave the Single European Market and her intentions to leave the customs union are going to have a detrimental impact on the economy in the north and across this island. |
| "It's clear today from Theresa May's Brexit statement that the views and opinions of the people of north have been completely ignored." | "It's clear today from Theresa May's Brexit statement that the views and opinions of the people of north have been completely ignored." |
| Common Travel Area | Common Travel Area |
| Also in today's speech, the prime minister said maintaining the common travel area between the UK and Republic of Ireland would be a priority during Brexit negotiations. | |
| She said: "No-one wants a return to the borders of the past". | She said: "No-one wants a return to the borders of the past". |
| "Our guiding principle must be to ensure that as we leave the European Union no new barriers to living or doing business within our own union are created. | "Our guiding principle must be to ensure that as we leave the European Union no new barriers to living or doing business within our own union are created. |
| "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." | "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." |
| In a statement, a spokesperson for the Irish government said that while the prime minister's comments may be seen as a warning of a "hard Brexit", Dublin has been preparing for all possible models of future UK-EU relations. | In a statement, a spokesperson for the Irish government said that while the prime minister's comments may be seen as a warning of a "hard Brexit", Dublin has been preparing for all possible models of future UK-EU relations. |
| Mrs May also said she hopes that the "main parties" in Northern Ireland will form a government as soon as possible in the "spirit of unity". | Mrs May also said she hopes that the "main parties" in Northern Ireland will form a government as soon as possible in the "spirit of unity". |
| NI Secretary James Brokenshire was legally obliged to call for the 2 March vote on Monday after the executive collapsed over a botched green scheme. | NI Secretary James Brokenshire was legally obliged to call for the 2 March vote on Monday after the executive collapsed over a botched green scheme. |
| Stormont was plunged into crisis after the resignation of Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister last week. | Stormont was plunged into crisis after the resignation of Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister last week. |