Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is true, but the assessments and estimates were all wrong; they were €20 million or more out of line. We cannot expect to plan properly if at the end of the process the European Commission will not have anything further to do with Northern Ireland. We need clarity. The first thing is that the British Prime Minister will have to state his view. The process of triggering Article 50 then takes place. I hear different views about that. The European Council will monitor political control over this process. While they say nothing can happen until the exit process is concluded by Britain, I hope that the European Union, having received notification from Britain, will have a parallel system; otherwise, two years of planning, strategy and coherence about what they should do will be lost.

All Members of the House have to work together on this in respect of our interests - the common travel area, trade with Britain, access to the free market, the free movement of people and an open border with Northern Ireland with no customs or checkpoints similar to those we had 30 years ago. This will require a great deal of work from everybody. It is time now, instead of trying to score points on this, to have a particular jersey that we should wear in the interest of our country.

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