Foster positive about common travel area continuing post-Brexit

First Minister Arlene Foster has said she believes the common travel area between the UK and Ireland can continue to exist post-Brexit.

She was speaking at a press conference following the emergency meeting of the British Irish Council meeting in Cardiff to discuss the impact of the Brexit vote.

Earlier, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he could not see how a common travel area on the island of Ireland could survive, considering that immigration had been a big issue in those supporting Britain leaving the EU.

However, Ms Foster was more positive about the border situation.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who was also in attendance, stressed the importance that there was no hard border between the Republic of Ireland and UK.

"It would not be acceptable either south or north that there would be a European Union border running from Dundalk to Derry, it would not be acceptable,” he commented.

“We're not going back to the days of checkpoints, towers and customs and all of that. That would be very retrograde step."

NI Secretary of State James Brokenshire reiterated that he was committed to making sure any border arrangements were as 'soft' as possible.