British delegation to meet local parties on Brexit

 

Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British House of Commons will travel to Cavan later today for a series of discussions with public representatives and local interest groups on post-Brexit scenarios.

The group, who are spending the earlier portion of the day at Leinster House, are on a fact-finding mission to the Republic in order to roadmap the way forward for Britain's Westminster Parliament and its politicians after Brexit is finally introduced. They will travel to a meeting taking place at the Hotel Kilmore in Cavan Town.

Among those meeting the British Committee delegates in Dublin, led by Chairman and Conservative party member Tom Tugendhat, is Cavan-Monaghan Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith.

The committee's schedule will include talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and its equivalent Dáil committee, the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence.

They will also hold meetings with former president Mary McAleese and with IBEC representatives.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland this morning, Mr Tugendhat said his vision for the UK's exiting from the EU is “for as little as possible complication and for as close as possible union”.

He added: “At the moment there isn't really a Border and I'm keen that as little as possible bureaucracy or obstacles stop anybody.”

Mr Tugendhat, who was among those prominently opposed to an exit vote during the Brexit referendum, said he and his fellow committee members would not be suggesting solutions to their Irish counterparts, but instead where here to listen.