Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

One of our priorities, which I said at the meeting yesterday evening, is the support from Europe for the peace process. We also have a real responsibility here to the many thousands of small firms that export over €7 billion into the United Kingdom. The currency fluctuations are already causing difficulty there. We have to deal with a range of priorities as part of the Brexit discussions. The Deputy will be kept fully informed of that.

I answered questions this morning on the work going on between the Department of Finance, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland to provide a range of supports for small and medium enterprises that export directly to Britain. This morning, Enterprise Ireland has people from all over the world out in the RDS talking about new opportunities in new markets in America, Canada, Europe and places beyond.

We are militarily neutral as Deputy McDonald said. Our participation in the Common Security and Defence Policy is prohibited by Article 29.4.9 of the Constitution. That protection is reinforced by the Irish protocol in the Lisbon treaty which was voted upon by the people and can only be changed by the people. We are very proud that members of our Defence Forces operate as a support in terms of humanitarian or peacekeeping missions in a number of locations. They do so exceptionally professionally but strictly within the confines of the European Union Treaties and the triple lock. That will remain the position.

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