Brexit: Ireland says it will demand ‘hundreds of millions’ from EU if no deal goes ahead
Ministers in Dublin say they want ‘mega money’ from Brussels if no withdrawal agreement is approved
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Your support makes all the difference.Ireland has said it will demand hundreds of millions of euros from Brussels if there is a no-deal Brexit, amid growing fears Britain is set to crash out of the European Union without an agreement.
Ministers in Dublin announced that, if there is a hard Brexit, they will ask the European Commission for “mega money” to help the country cope with the economic fallout.
Ireland is likely to be hit particularly hard by a no-deal outcome, with the country’s farming industry heavily reliant on trade with the UK.
The country’s agriculture minister, Michael Creed, said the government would be seeking substantial emergency aid from the EU if no Brexit withdrawal agreement is approved.
UK MPs will vote on the proposed deal later this month, with major doubts remaining over Theresa May’s ability to secure parliamentary backing for her agreement.
Announcing the Irish government’s intention to seek funding from the EU, Mr Creed told the Irish Independent: “You’re looking at hundreds of millions here. Between the beef industry and the fishing industry we’re talking mega money.”
He added: “There is a high level of awareness of Ireland’s unique exposure to the UK food market. But I think nobody wants to talk about it right now because there is still a hope and expectation that a level of sanity will prevail.”
He suggested the EU would agree to support Ireland, saying: “I think we would get help. It’s all about the level of help.”
Irish producers have already been hit by the fall in the value of sterling as a result of Brexit, but Mr Creed said a hard Brexit “would make that look like a teddy bears’ picnic”.
The announcement comes as Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said his government was stepping up preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
Ms May is seeking to secure further concessions from European leaders on the controversial issue of the Northern Ireland backstop, which dictates what should happen if there is no agreement on the future relationship between the UK and EU.
However, her European counterparts have insisted there can be no renegotiation of the deal agreed late last year.
Mr Varadkar said he had held a 40 minute phone call with German chancellor Angela Merkel and agreed there would be no changes to the withdrawal agreement.
He said: “Once again what we both really agreed is that once again this is a problem created in London... and we’re really looking to them for a solution.
“Those who create a problem must be the ones who have a responsibility to come up with a solution. We need to hear from them.”
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