The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis has said that there will be no border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Speaking to reporters in Belfast, ahead of his meetings at Stormont House, he said that there would be no border down the Irish Sea after the Brexit transition period.
Mr Lewis said: "The United Kingdom is going to be one area and all will be able to benefit from our future global trade deals.
"I appreciate what Michel Barnier says, he's a very good man trying to do a good job for the EU.
"But this is also the man who said we couldn't open the Withdrawal Agreement.
"Our Prime Minister got that agreement open, got a new agreement. We've got it through parliament, we've left the European Union.
"And we're going to build for a better economy for the whole of the United Kingdom as one.
"We are absolutely clear. As a UK government, we will not be having a border down the Irish Sea."
Meanwhile, EU sources confirmed that the UK can be brought to the European Court of Justice if it fails to carry out checks and controls on goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Mr Lewis was named new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday.
He had previously served as Minister of State for Security and Deputy for EU Exit and No Deal Preparation.
His appointment came after Julian Smith was sacked from the Northern Ireland Office.
