Tánaiste Simon Coveney has accused some advocates of Brexit of ignoring or denying the risk of renewed violence in Northern Ireland for political reasons. He said it was wrong to dismiss as “Project Fear” the Government’s concerns about the potential for attacks on border checkpoints and infrastructure. “There are some people who just don’t want to know because it doesn’t suit the political narrative that the Northern Ireland border issue is a really important issue for relationships on this island,” he said. Mr Coveney said Mr Varadkar wanted to remind EU leaders at the summit on Wednesday why the issue of the Border is so “totemic” in Ireland. But senior EU sources told The Irish Times that chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier would not be changing direction in the coming weeks.

Source: The Irish Times October 20, 2018 00:00 UTC