Mr. John Callinan:

We have approached the challenge by recognising that there are special and unique circumstances on the island. "Special status" is just a phrase which means different things to different people. Some think it means keeping Northern Ireland in the Single Market, but it is not in the gift of the Dublin Government to decide that this should happen, if it is not the wish of the people of Northern Ireland. It would also have to be negotiated with the United Kingdom. There are different interpretations of what the special circumstances are, but we have secured a commitment from the European Union to look at them imaginatively and flexibly. The meaning of "special status" has not been universally agreed.