Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to the questions in reverse order. In response to the question from Deputy Eamon Ryan, the matter was discussed at the European Council. It was always the Commission that provided the expertise to deal with countries that were pursuing their application to join the Union. This is the first time a country is willing to leave. The Commission will still use its expertise in negotiation but it will be overseen politically by the elected leaders of the countries and the Heads of Government. That is as it should be.

In response to Deputy Burton's question, yes, we will have an arrangement and senior officials will know exactly at every point the discussions that are taking place because it is critical for us that we know what exactly is going on. Deputies can believe me that when it comes back to the European Council for the political decisions, we will be in possession of all the facts. Deputy Burton also inquired whether Chancellor Merkel recognises the unique position of this country. Yes, she does, acutely. She is very conscious of it. She knows full well the importance of the European peace process, the support Europe has given and how critical it has been to Ireland. She understands the land border within the EU from Dundalk to Derry. I must say she is very conscious of that.

In response to the points made by Deputy Micheál Martin on Syria, this is a humanitarian scandal. Could one imagine three quarters of Dublin being without water and being blown asunder? The focus from Europeans who are not affected by the conflict is to build a European Union of peace, prosperity and stability and that there is a hell beyond the border. The root cause is not being tackled. I thought that when Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov put together a peace agreement after five years that it would stand some chance, yet the situation has disintegrated into absolute mayhem. Aleppo is being bombed and is in the process of being obliterated. The politics of the situation is that Russia and Iran support President Assad and America and the EU support the unofficial opposition and rebels. Turkey has a problem with the Kurds. Deputy Micheál Martin is quite right that at the European Council meeting, there was a proposition that there should be a European Union policy particular to the eastern Balkans, which is now suffering more from the influence of Russia than of the European Union or the United Nations. Those are matters we need to talk about.

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