BBC News :

The Irish deputy prime minister has said he hopes that major legislation his government has prepared to manage a no-deal Brexit will never be used.

Simon Coveney unveiled the wide-ranging bill on Friday, bringing together work by nine government departments.

He said a “disorderly” Brexit would be a “lose, lose, lose” for the UK, the EU and the Republic of Ireland.

The aim of the emergency proposals is to ensure a smooth transition should the UK leave the EU without a deal.

The legislation is designed to support businesses and to protect jobs, essential services and citizens’ rights.

It is envisaged that it will be rolled into one omnibus bill that be fast-tracked through the Irish parliament be signed into law before 29 March, when the UK is due to leave the EU.

Mr Coveney, who unveiled the legislation on Friday, said he hoped it “proves redundant” and his “only desire” was to see it sit “on the shelf”.

‘Mitigate against worst effects’

“A no-deal Brexit will be a major shock for the Irish economy,” he added.

“We cannot offset all the damage it will do but we are doing everything we can.

“This legislation is the product of a root-and-branch trawl of our laws to determine what changes will be needed if the UK becomes a third country overnight.”

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar said his government was doing “all we can to avoid a no deal scenario but we need to be ready in case it does happen”.

“This special law enables us to mitigate against some of the worst effects of no deal by protecting citizens’ rights, security and facilitating extra supports for vulnerable businesses and employers,” he added.

Some of the main provisions of the legislation are:

• Justice – maintaining existing extradition arrangements
• Health – allowing citizens to be able to continue access services in the other jurisdiction
• Social welfare – enabling pensions and other benefits to continue to be paid
• Energy – giving the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities the powers to deal with unusual market activity on the all-Ireland electricity network
• Transport – allowing cross-border rail and bus services to continue

The opposition parties in the Republic of Ireland are to be briefed on the measures as their support may be necessary to get the bill passed.