A border crossing in Ireland. Image: BBC“Many people are incredibly angry”.
The Dail has heard of how people in border communities fear having their cars impounded while driving into Northern Ireland after Brexit.
The UK is set to leave the EU on March 29th, and mass uncertainty still remains over what paperwork will be necessary to travel across the border without being stopped.
It is understood a new “Green Card” may be issued for motorists if there is a no-deal Brexit to prove their insurance policy is valid in Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The Taoiseach was pressed by Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty, today who said there was still a lot of confusion over the issue.
Mr Doherty said: “Many people are incredibly angry, there’s a lack of certainty over how the green card position will operate.
“My own insurance company say they will start to issue them after March 29, but what will happen to motorists on March 30, who will not have a green card and our cars can be impounded if we travel to the north?
“There’s a huge amount of anger in communities that they will now need to hold an international insurance certificate to travel across the Lifford Bridge into Strabane, for example.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the government was working to resolve the issue, and would allow a grace period for motorists crossing the border without proof of valid insurance in the event of no deal.
“We’re aware of and trying to ensure it’s resolved before March 29, the position is different in the two jurisdictions,” he said.
“There will be differences depending on individual policies, but I’m informed many cover the UK and Northern Ireland, but you will need proof of that in form of a green card, in this state, it’s not an offence not to have one, there will be a grace period for people who are based in Northern Ireland and are coming south.
“We can’t make commitments on behalf of the UK Government, but in this jurisdiction, as long as their insurance policy covers them in this state and if they don’t have a green card, they will not be prosecuted for that.”
