Ireland expects UK to extend Brexit grace periods – Varadkar

Ireland expects Britain to announce further extensions to post-Brexit grace periods on goods imports into both Northern Ireland and into the rest of the United Kingdom, Irish deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday.

“The expectation is that the United Kingdom will announce a further extension of the grace periods, not just in relation to Northern Ireland but also imports from the EU and Ireland into the UK,” Varadkar told Irish state broadcaster RTE.

Varadkar was speaking following a meeting in London with Britain’s cabinet office minister Michael Gove, who he said had told him that Britain “doesn’t want to walk away from the protocol but does want to make it more workable.” 

Photo – Irish Deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar. EPA-EFE/AIDAN CRAWLEY