Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach gave a detailed report of his meetings and I thank him for that. He outlined how he put the Government's main concerns, which include the Border, the peace process and so on. However, he failed to outline how the Government thought or thinks the European Union should address these concerns. That is vital and why we have been arguing for this proposition of the right of citizens in the North to a special designated status within the European Union.

I listened to the Taoiseach, who is a smart operator. He outlines the rationale of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government's obligation to uphold it, the fact the people in the North voted for that and so on. Having set out that criteria, he ignored the fact that the people in the North voted to remain within the European Union. I would like him to address that anomaly in his thinking. He then said he has an agreement with the British Prime Minister that there would be no return to the borders of the past, but that is absolutely meaningless. The European Union tax and customs Commissioner this morning confirmed there will be Border controls. The former head of the European Commission customs unit at the weekend stated the controls on the Border will be returned post-Brexit. The British Secretary of State, Mr. Brokenshire, in a report carried by The Sunday Times, stated there is an agreement with the Irish Government that there would be what would be interpreted as controls at our ports. I am paraphrasing those comments.

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