Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If we look at what our EU colleagues have done, in the withdrawal agreement we are now talking about protecting peace funding, protecting the common travel area, which essentially gives Ireland special treatment, protecting the peace process in full, no diminution of rights and guarantees against future Border infrastructure. All these matters require facilitation from other EU countries of a withdrawal agreement that is about protecting interests on the island of Ireland and a peace process. The focus on Ireland and the attention to detail there sums up for me why we are in the European Union because small countries matter and when they are threatened or vulnerable, bigger countries and not so big countries in the Union are supportive and show solidarity. Today it is Ireland but next year it could be Estonia, Latvia, Cyprus or Malta.

There are benefits to being in a union and we are seeing an understanding and a solidarity that is important, not in a way that is anti-British or against the UK but in a way that is looking for a fair outcome. That conversation will continue from the withdrawal agreement, if we can get it agreed and ratified, into the future relationship negotiation that in my view will continue for the next two to four years, which is why there will be a need to extend the transition period should it be triggered and if the withdrawal agreement facilitates that anyway. I do not see how we can get everything done in 21 months but that will be a decision for the UK and we have some big hurdles to overcome before those choices have to be made. Between now and 21 January, the British Prime Minister has to find a way of getting this deal ratified and we need to do everything we can to help her, within reason.