Ireland says path chosen by UK on N.Ireland of ‘great concern’

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland’s foreign minister said the lining up by Britain of new laws that would effectively override parts of a deal with the European Union on post-Brexit trade to Northern Ireland was of “great concern.”

“I deeply regret the decision of the British government to introduce legislation in the coming weeks… The path chosen is of great concern,” Simon Coveney said after his British counterpart Liz Truss set out the plans on Tuesday.

“Such unilateral action in respect of an internationally binding agreement is damaging to trust and will serve only to make it more challenging to find solutions,” Coveney said in a statement that also welcomed London’s preference for a negotiated solution with the European Union.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kate Holton)