BRITAIN’s plan for a seamless, check-free border with Ireland following Brexit has been branded a “smugglers’ charter” as EU citizens will be able to enter the UK by simply crossing the Irish border.
Mark Daly, Fianna Fail’s deputy group leader, welcomed Whitehall’s efforts to avoid a hard border with the Irish Republic but warned: “It would be a smugglers’ charter. Our border would be a back door into Europe, so people would import goods that are cheaper under tariff arrangements with the UK and then bring them into the Republic and on into the EU.
“The UK want to gain advantage economically over the EU and will do preferential trade agreements with non-EU countries; that becomes a smugglers’ charter. We already have a smuggling problem while both jurisdictions are within the EU,” he added.
Avoiding check-points or any other physical infrastructure on the Irish border is the UK Government's number one priority when negotiating post-Brexit arrangements for its only land frontier with the EU.
The Government’s “position paper” on the Irish border issue says the UK would preserve the Common Travel Area between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit, allowing people to enter Britain free from routine border controls. This is despite Ireland remaining part of the EU and accepting the free movement of citizens from the bloc.
Nonetheless, the Government expressed confidence it could enforce new immigration controls on EU citizens without a hard border, noting how controlling access to the labour market and welfare systems formed an integral part of the UK's immigration system.
But Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, said it was "of concern" that EU citizens would be able to move freely across the Irish border into the UK without any immigration checks after Brexit.
“Once again the UK Government is bowing to EU demands,” declared the anti-EU MEP.
"The operation of the land border between the north and south should be none of their business. That the Government would willingly allow EU nationals to freely move into UK territory is of concern," he said.
The Liberal Democrats also said the Government’s proposal had “more holes in it than a colander" and indicated the UK would not reclaim control of its borders.
Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dem backbencher and former Cabinet minister, noted: "The Brexiteers claimed it was worth damaging the UK economy to reclaim control of our borders; now we're told even this isn't going to happen.
"The Conservatives are finally admitting that there are ways to control free movement by making reforms to our labour market and social security.
"That raises the question: why are they still planning to damage jobs and living standards by leaving the single market?"
Elsewhere, Theresa May restated her commitment to securing a seamless Irish border, saying: "There should be no physical border infrastructure of any kind on either side of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. I want people to be absolutely clear: the UK does not want to see border posts for any purpose."
The Prime Minister also moved to reassure Nationalists living in Northern Ireland that Brexit would not see the UK turn its back on its "unique and special relationship" with Ireland.
She insisted rights enshrined under the Good Friday peace accord, such as the right to claim Irish citizenship, would be protected after the exit from the European Union.
In Dublin, Simon Coveney, the Irish Foreign minister, said the Government’s paper was "timely and helpful" but noted: “We won't be picking fights for the sake of it but we will be firm and clear in terms of what we regard is important and essential for Ireland to be able to support a future deal."
Meanwhile in Belfast, Arlene Foster, the Democratic Unionist leader, described the paper as a "constructive step," welcoming the Government’s commitment to a seamless border and its rejection of the idea of having a new border in the Irish Sea.
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein's Stormont leader, said the proposals were "big on aspiration but light on clarity" and added: “Whilst the British Government might say they don't want to see any kind of hard border or technology put in place, it will not be within their gift to deliver that; it will be the other European member states, who clearly think and believe we need to see customs controls."
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