Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The common travel area was in place long before the formation of the European Economic Community, EEC and the EU and long before Brexit.

We intend to be able to hold on to the common travel area between Ireland and Britain. On what it means in practice, I welcome the helpful statement from the former First Minister, Arlene Foster. We would like to be able to preserve the tariff-free arrangement that now applies. Clearly, the negotiations in this area could become quite complex, depending on the issues involved, but it is too early to say what its exact nature will be. A wealth of information will need to be teased out when we open the box dealing with trade issues and tariffs. We agree with the Prime Minister when she says she wants Great Britain to have as close as possible a working relationship with the European Union. If that implies tariff-free arrangements, so much the better. We agree with that sentiment and would like to see it continued in practice. The Deputy is right when he says I said we would publish a more detailed document. I considered doing so last week, but I thought it better to wait for the outcome of the European Council in order that its decision could be incorporated into the document. I will brief Opposition leaders later this evening. We will publish the much more detailed statement today and it will be available to Deputy Micheál Martin.

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