Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the comments by Deputy McGrath in respect of the efforts being made to complete the recovery of Rescue 116. I was down there yesterday and there was a very heavy swell. There is great co-ordination and communication between all the agencies under the direction of the coastguard. It is very professional and I hope the window with the weather will arise this week so they can make the recovery of the crew members, black boxes and the wreckage in order to determine what happened in this tragedy.

I was not in a position to attend the funeral of the late Mrs. Haughey this morning. I met her on a number of occasions over the years and I sent my aide-de-camp to represent my office as I was in attendance at Cabinet. We will have an opportunity for short statements in respect of the death of Mr. Martin McGuinness, a peacemaker, now departed. I concur with the Deputy's comments on the death of the young captain of the Derry City team and others mentioned.

In addition to the points raised by Deputy McGrath, it is clear our priorities are the common travel area, the protection of the peace process, the non-return to a hard Border and the maintenance of the trading relationship between Ireland and the UK. More important to all our futures is the position of Ireland as a member of the European Union. We will continue to negotiate and participate as a member of those 27 member states. The timescale has been set out and greater clarity is now being brought to the issue with the announcement by the British Prime Minister on the triggering of Article 50. The European Council will respond to this and Ireland is being asked, along with other countries, to put forward its view in respect of the draft negotiations. They will be on the lines I have mentioned.

I do not attend General Affairs Council meetings but I expect to attend the European Council meeting on 29 April and have set out the grounds that we consider really critical in terms of the negotiations to be conducted, which will last for quite a while. It is my view that a transition period must be involved in terms of the trading relationships that will apply. The British Government wants as close a relationship as possible with the European Union and I support that principle. It is how one has that relationship, having been removed from the Single Market and changed position with regard to the customs union, that will be the net point of the negotiations.

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