Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is not a statement. I think the consolidated paper was badly handled. There was a commitment at one stage that we would get a briefing in the AV room by departmental officials; that was pulled at the last minute. There was a commitment to meet with party leaders; that did not happen. There was a commitment regarding Opposition spokespeople; none of that happened. Strategically it is a bad idea and the Government is going in a bad direction in this regard.

People from different embassies have asked me about the Irish position on the special designated status within the EU. I do not know the position, which is crazy. Earlier Deputy Adams asked if the Irish Government raised it at the pre-Council meeting. The Taoiseach did not reply. I ask the Minister to reply to that question.

The President of the Commission, Mr. Junker, has been quoted as having the impression that sometimes our British friends underestimate the technical difficulties to be faced. Is that the view of the Irish Government? My impression from some of the people who have come over for various meetings is that they do not believe there will be a divorce settlement. Some of them have said that if they paid that out, they would lose the election. We can now understand why the UK general election has been called before it.

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