Taoiseach: New Brexit Assurances Don't Undermine Backstop

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Instrument agreed on the UK's Withdrawal Agreement yesterday does not reopen or undermine the backstop.

It comes after the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, said she had managed to secure legally-binding changes to the Brexit deal.

Parliament are set to vote on the deal again later today, 12 March, after the initial agreement suffered the largest ever defeat in the House of Commons in January.

Mr Varadkar said this morning: "In the context of tonight's vote in Westminster, the outcome from yesterday's meeting between Prime Minister May and President Juncker is positive, and I hope and trust that the Withdrawal Agreement will be now endorsed by the House of Commons. In discussions with the UK, the Government has worked hand in hand with our EU partners and the EU institutions, including the Commission and Michel Barnier's Task Force. 

"In that work, we have insisted that the Withdrawal Agreement could not be rewritten, and that the backstop arrangement, while intended to be temporary, must continue to apply unless and until it is replaced by future arrangements that can achieve the same objective, namely no hard border. However, we have also said that we were prepared to offer guarantees and further reassurances and to the UK of our good faith and intentions- indeed we have offered such reassurances on many occasions.

"The Instrument agreed yesterday puts those assurances on a legal footing and represents an unambiguous statement by both parties of what has been agreed. It does not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, or undermine the backstop or its application. 

"It says that we will work together, in good faith, in pursuit of a future relationship that ensures that the objectives of the Protocol, particularly the need to avoid a hard border, are met."

British MPs were told the joint instrument agreed by Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker "reduces the risk" that the UK would be trapped in the backstop.

"These doubts and fears can now be put to bed," Mr Varadkar added.

(JG/CM)