Focus on trade talks as island of Ireland prepares for Brexit

Protests and celebrations will be held in Northern Ireland as the UK leaves the EU

Focus centred on future trading relations on the island of Ireland as opponents and supporters of Brexit prepared to mark the UK’s exit from the EU.

Pro-EU activists demonstrated on the Irish border ahead of a series of late night rallies on the frontier, while Brexiteers were preparing to hold a party at the gates of the Stormont parliament in Belfast to celebrate the landmark moment.

The events were not expected to draw huge crowds, with advocates on both sides of the debate harbouring mixed feelings about the deal that secured the withdrawal.

Fears among Remainers over the prospect of a hard border on the island have dissipated somewhat, while pro-Brexit unionists are far from happy with an agreement that treats Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the UK.

On Friday morning, Irish premier Leo Varadkar warned that Ireland will take a very firm line in post-Brexit trade talks.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar earlier warned that Ireland will take a very firm line in post-Brexit trade talks.

The Taoiseach insisted that fishing and farming communities will be protected during the upcoming negotiations on the future relationship.

Around a third of Ireland’s fish like mackerel and prawns comes from UK waters.

Simon Coveney and fellow Irish government ministers toured Dublin port early on Friday morning (Aoife Moore/PA)

But Mr Varadkar, who faces a battling to retain power in the country’s General Election, highlighted that almost three quarters of UK fish is exported to the EU.

“Having control of their own fishing grounds is not going to be much use to them unless they can export to the EU,” he said.

“That is why it gets tied up with trade and we are going to take a very firm line on that to make sure that we protect our coastal communities and our fishing industry.”

On Friday, UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said he could not guarantee frictionless trade after Brexit.

He said the UK was free to go its own way on rules and regulations.

“We want trade to be as frictionless as possible but the EU is clear, you can only have fully frictionless trade if you accept all of their rules, if you accept all their laws, you are subordinate to their judges, you are subordinate to their political structures,” he said.