Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Taoiseach may be restricted in the details he can outline, but are there plans to minimise economic disruption in the event that a referendum in Britain results in a vote to leave? Obviously, because our two islands are in close proximity, a decision by Britain to leave the European Union is of considerable interest to us, a point the Taoiseach has outlined in the past. However, given that the exit also may include the Northern state, this is a matter of considerable concern for everyone. As more than €1 billion per week is traded in goods and services between the State and Britain, the consequences of a UK exit for us in this part of the country would be enormous. However, one should also be mindful that for 80 years the physical Border and partition, with its economic, cultural and political outworkings, were a source of enormous dislocation and conflict at times. The Good Friday Agreement has seen a transformation and, as I am sure the Taoiseach has experienced many times, the physical Border is now all but invisible. There is much work to be done to remove economic and political barriers and all of the other legacy issues, but I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that the return of Border controls would be a serious retrograde step. The impact on both sides, along the entire Border corridor, would be detrimental. I also believe there would be an adverse effect on all-Ireland bodies that are part of the Good Friday Agreement. As the Taoiseach is aware, I come from there and it should not be accepted that a decision taken on the island of Britain would have such import for those of us who live in the North. Has the Government sought or will it seek an assurance from the British Government that a referendum vote in the North alone will determine the relationship between that part of the island and the European Union?

Another big issue arises in this regard, in so far as the British Prime Minister has indicated he may introduce legislation to make it clear that the British Parliament is sovereign and that British courts are not bound by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This will have profound implications for citizens in the North and, in particular, our ability to use the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as a defence against punitive British legislation. All of this is playing out on the Taoiseach's watch. I am aware that another European Council meeting has been set for 18 and 19 February. The meeting last December set the explicit objective of securing an agreement or mutually satisfactory solutions. In the light of this and the timetable set by the European Council and the British Government, will the Taoiseach outline the Government's view on these matters? In addition, does the Government have in place a contingency plan if a Brexit goes ahead?

See this speech in context