Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The notification will be issued on 29 March by the British Government. The General Affairs Council, which is Ministers from the 27 member states, will then adopt more detailed negotiating directives and authorise the opening of the negotiations. The European Council will remain permanently apprised of the negotiations and will update the guidelines and negotiating directives as necessary in the course of those negotiations. The Commission will lead the technical negotiations on behalf of the Union. They will be led by Michel Barnier. Representatives of the President of the European Council will be present alongside the European Commission representatives at all of those negotiation issues.

Our position is very clear on minimising the impact on trade and the economy, protecting the Northern Ireland peace process, maintaining the common travel area and contributing positively to the discussions about the future of the European Union. One section will deal with what everybody now knows which is that there is a peace process in Ireland, which is the subject of dual guarantorship by the Irish Government and British Government and lodged in the United Nations, and that the only land border internally in the European Union will run from Dundalk to Derry. Therein lies the question of what do we mean when we say no return to a hard border. What I mean is no return to customs posts on the main arteries across the road links from the Republic to Northern Ireland. That brought with it sectarian violence. That is what I mean by it.

In respect of the section, for Deputy Howlin's information, dealing with the Irish problem that is about the peace process and the Border situation, it impacts on the island of Ireland, obviously, but it is specifically referenced to our wanting the peace process protected and no return to that kind of Border of the past.

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