UK responsible for solution to Northern Ireland issue - Verhofstadt

The European Parliament’s Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt maintains that a unique solution is required for Northern Ireland in Brexit negotiations.

Mr Verhofstadt, who is on a two-day fact-finding mission to Ireland, said he wants to see how Brexit is affecting citizens and businesses in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

He told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the he doesn’t want to see a hard border and wants an opportunity to discuss the difficulties ahead with political parties in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

The border issue is one of the key elements of the negotiations, he added, which will require a unique solution.

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One solution would be for Northern Ireland to continue to be part of the Customs Union and the Single Market, he said.

“The UK government has to come forward with that unique solution. The problem is as a consequence of the decision taken by Great Britain and the UK government. It is their responsibility to come up with a solution.

“I think a solution can be found in the interests of the citizens and the businesses of Northern Ireland.”

On the issue of people in Northern Ireland retaining EU rights, including voting rights, Mr Verhofstadt told the BBC: “EU citizenship is EU citizenship. It is not a part of EU citizenship or 10 per cent of it.

“There are a number of rights that are linked to that and also that is a discussion for the moment, how this is going to work in the future after 2019. It’s not part of the Brexit negotiations for the moment but it is a point of discussion in other legislative file that the European Parliament is preparing on the future composition of the Parliament.”

Mr Verhofstadt said that he wants the debate on Northern Ireland to take place now, not in 2018.

He declined to comment on reported battles between Conservative Party politicians but said on the first three rounds of Brexit negotiations it was very clear “we didn’t make sufficient progress”.