Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a matter for the Scottish Assembly and the Scottish people.

On Deputy Adams's point about Northern Ireland and a united Ireland, as I have said on my occasions I defend the principles that are contained in the Good Friday Agreement and successive agreements that allow for that opportunity to be dealt with were it to present itself. As Deputy Adams is only too well aware, the Good Friday Agreement allows for that. I have made the point publicly before that whatever negotiations take place, the language should reflect that the co-guarantor aspect should be continued. The Good Friday Agreement is an internationally legally binding agreement that holds out that principle and opportunity at some point if the will of the people were such.

On the issue of special status, we already have it. We should not be seeking to commence a process of seeking new special status. We are in a position whereby Europe recognises and supports the peace process, in respect of which it provides benefits and has done so for many years. The next programme runs until 2020. This does not apply anywhere else within the European Union. There is no other peace process. There will be no other land borders when Britain exits the EU. There are no other INTERREG or PEACE funds. That is a particular circumstance that does not apply anywhere else. If the suggestion is that we should allow that to peter out and should then ask for something else we are into a different kind of argument.

It is really important that we understand very clearly that what Europe has supported to date, along with the United States and elsewhere, needs to be kept in situ.

One may call that whatever one wants: I call it a particular set of circumstances that apply here in regard to Northern Ireland. I would much prefer it if we had greater clarity, which we will not have until the Prime Minister decides, within her rights, to move Article 50. Within the party in the House of Commons, there are those who express frustration over a lack of clarity on the position being put forward by Britain. I hope that comes reasonably quickly.

See this speech in context