Irish PM sees Britain staying aligned with EU on "lots of regulations"

DUBLIN - 9 December 2017: The Brexit agreement on the Irish border that assures Northern Ireland will stay aligned with European Union-member Ireland will probably keep Britain in sync with the EU over the longer term, Ireland's prime minister said on Friday.

"Even in, let's say, a totally disastrous scenario where all the negotiations fail and I don't believe this will happen, we have (a clause saying) that these commitments must be upheld in all circumstances, irrespective of the nature of any future agreement," Leo Varadkar told national broadcaster RTE.

"But what phase one was always about was narrowing the parameters, and we are now funnelling and directing things into a situation where I believe the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland will remain in alignment with the EU on lots of regulations."