Ireland PM 'still hopeful Brexit won’t happen'

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Mon, 31 Jul 2017 - 07:49 GMT

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Mon, 31 Jul 2017 - 07:49 GMT

Leo Varadkar speaks to people as he leaves Government buildings after being elected by parliamentary vote as the next Prime Minister of Ireland (Taoiseach) to replace Enda Kenny in Dublin, Ireland June 14, 2017 - REUTERS

Leo Varadkar speaks to people as he leaves Government buildings after being elected by parliamentary vote as the next Prime Minister of Ireland (Taoiseach) to replace Enda Kenny in Dublin, Ireland June 14, 2017 - REUTERS

DUBLIN - 31 July 2017: Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said he hopes the UK will pull back from the precipice of leaving the European Union and that part of his remit is to “keep the door open” for our neighbors.

Varadkar, in statements published by The Irish Times, said that the best outcome for the Republic and the UK would be to avoid any North-South border in Ireland or an east-west border between Ireland and Britain.

During a visit to Waterford for a jobs announcement, Varadkar was asked if he thought there was any possibility of Brexit not going ahead despite last year’s referendum result.

He replied "Well I still hope that it won’t happen. Brexit is a British policy, not an Irish one. It’s the United Kingdom that’s decided to leave and, as far as I’m concerned when it comes to my work in Brussels, working with other European prime ministers and presidents, it’s part of my remit to keep the door open, not just to the European Union but also to the single market and also to the customs union should they decide to go down that route and that, I think, would be the best outcome for Ireland and Northern Ireland and Britain."

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