Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I was glad that there was a unified, 27-country position on the Brexit talks at the weekend. However, I am somewhat concerned about what happened on the previous Wednesday when Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met with the British Prime Minister, Teresa May. It seems to have been a disastrous meeting, according to leaks. Such leaks can only be seen to have been designed to humiliate the British Prime Minister. It is reported that the German Chancellor received a call from Mr. Juncker directly after the dinner. To a certain extent we see the messaging being managed in a German way through German newspapers. I am concerned that this is not unified. Did we get a call from Mr. Juncker straight after the dinner? Is that the way the talks are going to be conducted, with selective leaks through certain leaders? I do not think that will work.

I do not stand with the British position. I believe the Brexit process should be cancelled and the UK should continue to be a member of the EU. However, I am slightly concerned about the current position. What is the rationale behind arguing that we cannot have a two track approach? Why can we not start discussing with Britain some of the complex issues around regulations, trade, standards and so forth? Why are we insisting that we can only do that once the original Brexit bill negotiations have taken their course for a certain period of time? I think that may be a mistake and am concerned that it seems that the German Government is leading on this rather than a unified 27. What is our position on that twin track issue? Why did the Taoiseach not get a call from Mr. Juncker in the same way that the German Chancellor did?

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