Trimble says Irish Brexit challenges could be solved ‘in half an hour’

Former first minister for Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist party David Trimble says he believes the Good Friday Agreement is robust enough to weather the challenges of Brexit.

He told RTE's Today with Sean O'Rourke show that it is "daft" that there is a thought that Northern Ireland can be separated from the United Kingdom.

“The thought that they can separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom, that is what some people are talking about.

"By saying that somehow, we're going to keep Northern Ireland within Europe, while the rest of the United Kingdom goes off.

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“Now that is really daft, it factually ignores the basic principles laid down in the agreement”.

Mr Trimble also said that he has seen a change in the approach of the Government in Dublin since Enda Kenny’s departure as Taoiseach

He said he did not think it was a change for the better. When asked how he would characterise that change, he replied: “I think I’ve said enough”.

However, he maintained that the Good Friday Agreement was robust enough to weather the challenges of Brexit and that a solution would be easy.

"The Taoiseach, the Prime Minister, and somebody from Brussels who is in a position to take decisions, if those three people sat down around a table I suspect it wouldn't take them more than half an hour to sort things out".