Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Second, there will be no return to a hard Border. Both Governments agree the benefits of the common travel area should be preserved. We stand by the Good Friday Agreement. There will be no access to the Single Market without freedom of movement of people. The European Council makes the political decisions about all of this.

What do we not know? We do not know whether the British Government intends to stay with the Single Market, pull out of it or have elements of it made available to it. Does the United Kingdom intend to remove itself from the customs union, which would bring other complications? The economy, jobs, the people and our relationships with Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and the European Union remain central to our priorities. It is appropriate that we should discuss measures that might be taken here. Some extra facilities were made available to the agencies, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has introduced a scheme for those in the agriculture sector. It might be possible expand that into the food business and so on.

I have no objection to the House having a weekly session for an hour or whatever Deputies want. If the committees can agree, I would be happy to do that in order that the people are fully briefed because everybody has to wear the national jersey here.

In response to Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett, I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, in respect of embassies in different locations around the world. I am aware of approaches that were made in respect of Iran, but that is a matter for a separate analysis.

As far as Brexit is concerned, I would like to think we give everybody the fullest information possible when it is needed and appropriate in order that everybody clearly understands the impact of this decision is the most serious of the past 50 years.

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