Tánaiste Simon Coveney has warned that Ireland's frictionless trade with the UK will end on December 31, and the country is facing a cliff-edge fall into tariff-laden trade. Warning that fresh difficult challenges face the country, he said Brexit will once again dominate the political agenda for the rest of the year. He said that he briefed Cabinet this morning in relation to Brexit preparations and arrangements, highlighting five key concerns to his ministerial colleagues. These concerns are:1) Transition arrangements – it is accepted at EU level, the UK is very unlikely to seek an extension to the transition period. He said that preparations will have to continue to make Dublin Port and Rosslare Harbour fully ready for Brexit.

Source: Irish Examiner January 29, 2020 15:56 UTC