Brexit sparks new controversy in Ireland

Unionists from the North accused Dublin government to spread fear over Brexit.

There is a growing concern that a failure to negotiate a solution to the issue of the border after Brexit could spark a return of serious violence in the north of Ireland.

The Dublin government clashed with the unionist party (from the North) DUP after they accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of scaremongering over the potential for conflict.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney then accused the Tories and DUP of ignoring or denying the risk for political reasons.

"There are some people who just don't want to know because it doesn't suit the political narrative that the Northern Ireland border issue is a really important issue for relationships on this island," he said.

Under pressure from the DUP and the far right within her party, British

prime minister Theresa May has suggested a future "expiration date" for the backstop -- a date when the border could once again be remilitarised. That was quickly rejected by EU and Irish negotiators.