Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I met with Chancellor Merkel in Berlin on 12 July. Our discussion focused on the outcome of the UK referendum and its implications for Ireland, Germany and the European Union more generally. Over the past year, including at meetings of the European Council and most recently at the informal summit of 27 in Bratislava earlier this month, I have had many constructive exchanges with the Chancellor and with other EU Heads of State or Government, where I have outlined Ireland's unique relationship with the UK. I took the opportunity to elaborate on this at my meeting with Chancellor Merkel in Berlin and to explain our particular concerns to her, including in regard to Northern Ireland, North-South relations, the common travel area and bilateral trade. I was pleased to find her fully aware of, and sympathetic to, those concerns and to have her assurances that we share the objective of constructive negotiations towards a close future relationship between the EU and the UK.

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