Tánaiste to seek assurances on promises to avoid hard border

The Tánaiste wants to ensure there’s no slippage around promises to avoid a hard border with Northern Ireland.
Simon Coveney is meeting the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels later.
Back in December the government said they had ‘cast iron’ guarantees that there will be no return to a hard border in Northern Ireland.
But since then the British Government has insisted they’ll leave both the customs union and the single market post-Brexit.
That prompted the EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier to say earlier this month that it is important to tell the truth – The UK leaving the single market and customs union will mean border checks in Ireland.
Later today Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney will meet Mr Barnier to discuss those commitments.
This week the guarantees of Phase One of Brexit talks, including avoiding a hard border, are being translated into a formal legal text which is due to be published on Wednesday.
The Coveney camp say they’re working behind the scenes to avoid any slippage on the deal that was reached and they’re satisfied Ireland’s concerns will be addressed.