Ireland will not accept checks on Irish goods at EU ports - minister

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland will not allow its desire to keep the Irish border open if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal to result in checks on Irish goods at ports on the European mainland, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Tuesday.

“We have to find a way of ensuring that we protect the single market's integrity and that we avoid physical infrastructure on the (Irish) border,” Coveney told parliament, referring to meetings that had begun at official level with the European Commission on how to manage the border in a no-deal Brexit.

“Ireland is not going to allow a situation where the UK leaving the European Union without a deal drags Ireland out of the single market with it. What I mean by that is checks in EU ports on all Irish products, that is not a runner and would cause significant damage to our economy so we will not allow it.”