Foyle MP says Brexit "backstop" must be protected and built upon

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Tuesday, 24 July 2018 12:21

By Grainne Connolly @grainne555

by Gráinne Connolly

There are fresh calls for the Irish Government and the EU to protect the Brexit backstop to avoid any hardening of the border.

Foyle MP, Elisha McCallion spoke as part of a panel debate at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, County Donegal.

She has re-affirmed Sinn Fein's position that the best way to avoid a hard border is for Northern Ireland to remain part of both the Customs Union and Single Market.

"Regardless of what Theresa May or her Brexiteer allies in the DUP say, the only way that we can avoid a hardening of the border is if the north of Ireland remains in the Customs Union and Single Market under the auspices of the European Court of Justice.

"The EU and the Irish Government recognise that and that is why we have the ‘backstop,' which must be protected.

"Representing a border area like Derry I know the economic damage any hardening of the border will cause.

"The backstop option is the absolute bare minimum. It must be maintained and turned into legally binding text in the Withdrawal Agreement.

"In our view it does not go far enough and we want to see it built upon. Significant elements of the Single Market are not included, especially services.

"As the British cabinet becomes mired in more chaos, its strategy is clear; they trying to run down the clock, while dressing up old, already dismissed proposals, as new proposals and try to increase the pressure on the EU 27.

"We can have no backsliding from the Irish Government. This cannot become about saving Theresa May from the Brexiteers; this must remain about protecting Ireland north and south from Brexit."