German Chancellor Angela Merkel made no demands about the border in the event of a no-deal Brexit during a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House in Dublin on Thursday. Dr Merkel struck a conciliatory note, and repeatedly expressed her determination to avoid a no-deal outcome. Dr Merkel spoke warmly of her meeting with a number of people from the North and border areas who also met with her to talk about the effects of a hard border in Ireland in the past, and the potential consequences in the future. “But we will have to see what happens.”Mr Varadkar pledged that Ireland would not become “a back door to the single market after a hard Brexit”. Earlier in the day, Dr Merkel also met a group of people from the North and Border areas who impressed on her the effects of a hard border in Ireland in the past, and the potential consequences in the future.

Source: The Irish Times April 04, 2019 17:27 UTC