Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Minister Foreign Affairs and Trade met the British Secretary of State, James Brokenshire. The same Secretary of State last week voted against protecting the Good Friday Agreement. According to news reports, he told the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, the North will not be given special status after Britain leaves the European Union. What is the Government view of this latest put down? Perhaps it is not a putdown, given the Government has yet to ask for a special status for the North. I note in the Taoiseach's response to Teachta Burton he stated quite rightly the EU is not a homogenous unit, which of course is correct. There is space for a tailor-made special designated status for the North in the European Union but only if the Taoiseach asks for it. The big flaw in the Government's case is it has yet to ask for it. It is the only reasonable alternative to the British position.

I warned the Taoiseach three weeks ago the British approach to Brexit will destroy the Good Friday Agreement. The British dismissed it, as did the Taoiseach, who quotes all the soft words he hears, but the fact is the British Government is intent on doing away with the European Convention on Human Rights, the oversight of the European Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act. It has blocked the bill of rights. The Government has not brought forward the all-island charter of rights. This is why the Conservatives, the DUP, the UUP and UKIP all voted against any protections for the Good Friday Agreement in the Brexit negotiations. The British Prime Minister is not listening to the Taoiseach. She is ignoring him. What is the Government's response to this huge threat to an agreement of which it is an equal guarantor and which has delivered almost 20 years of peace and improved economic conditions for all of the people of the island?

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