The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Irish Government still holds out hope that Britain will changes its mind about Brexit and stay in the Customs Union and the single EU market.
Speaking as he attended the Air Show in Foynes in Limerick this afternoon, Mr Varadkar said the Irish Government's position is that they do not want Brexit to happen at all. It is a British policy not an Irish one, he said.
But he said talk of a transition or implementation phase would be in Ireland’s interest because if there is going to be a permanent change to the rules of trade, then the longer we have to adapt to that the better.
However, he insisted Ireland does not want a transition phase at all and would prefer that free trade between the two countries continued.
The most damaging thing for Ireland and the UK would be for a hard Brexit to happen in a disorderly and sudden way - a transition period would allow businesses and agriculture to adapt to the new trade rules, he added.
