Theresa May gave assurances on "no hard border" for NI, Irish PM says

Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that British Prime Minister Theresa May has given him assurances that Northern Ireland will not be subjected to hard border when Brexit eventually comes to pass.

Kenny was speaking at a civic forum discussing the political and economic consequences of the UK's decision to leave the European Union, attended by a number of cross-border parties.

The Irish leader described Brexit as "the greatest challenge" that the country has faced since it gained its independence from Britain in 1922.

"I have agreed with the Prime Minister that there will be no return to the borders of the past. Therefore the retention of an open border is critical," Kenny told the forum on Wednesday.

"Neither I, nor the Prime Minister, desire to limit the freedom of people on both sides of the Irish sea to trade, live, work and travel freely across these islands," Kenny added.

Parties from the unionist side of the divide in the Northern Ireland Assembly did not make themselves available to the forum, with the DUP and UUP both boycotting the event.

But Kenny was keen to include every side of the community on the island, saying that it will provide a highly challenging situation for both regions.

"Brexit is an issue that has the potential to impact everybody on this island - north and south," said Kenny.

"It has implications for so many aspects of our relationship. It presents the most significant economic and social challenge of the past 50 years."