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

Tógfaimid cúig nóiméad an duine.

On 29 March, the British Government triggered Article 50 of the European Union treaty and began the formal process of withdrawal from the Union. Its intention to leave the Single Market and the customs union will have a detrimental impact on Ireland in replacing a hard border on this island. It is clear from the mood music that we are on a path towards a hard Brexit which will have a detrimental impact on the Good Friday Agreement and the principles of the peace process, as well as having devastating consequences for citizens and the economy across Ireland.

It is very welcome that at the last meeting of the European Council it agreed a provision to ensure the North would seamlessly resume full EU status following a successful referendum on Irish unity. That is, however, just the bare minimum of what we need and it was already assumed to be a given when we consider the precedent of German reunification and the Cypriot protocol on reunification. It is an agreed view of the Dáil that what is needed is special status for the North to remain in the European Union, or Brexit will have a profound negative effect on the economy and the people of Ireland. With a stronger, proactive approach the Government could have achieved far more. There is now a huge amount to be done in the forthcoming negotiations. We know that the European Union has shown itself to be flexible in dealing with different forms of integration and relationships for member states and non-member states. Following that logic, it is surely time to secure some flexibility for Ireland.

It is now crunch time. The British Government which, according to itself, has no strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland and little regard for the consequences of the decision for people on this island has triggered Article 50. It has now called a general election to supposedly strengthen its hand in the negotiations. Its plan or wish list for Brexit to date clearly shows that it is ignoring the views of the peoples of Northern Ireland and Scotland. The recent leak from Prime Minister Theresa May’s meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker which appeared in a German newspaper was illuminating. It was reported that during the talks Mrs. May had said she would not agree to pay an exit or divorce bill when leaving the European Union because there was nothing in the EU treaties on that type of settlement. Mr. Juncker reportedly told her that if Britain did not respect its financial obligations, it would not be possible to agree a future trade deal. After the meeting he is reported to have said: “I have the impression sometimes that our British friends... underestimate the technical difficulties we have to face." This is the mood music in the background. According to the report, he was so alarmed that he called the German Chancellor, Mrs. Angela Merkel, the next morning to say Mrs. May was “living in another galaxy” and deluding herself. Later that day Mrs. Merkel said in a speech that some in the British Government had “illusions” about the nature of the talks. Let us cut through all of the delusions; we need to be prepared for tough and difficult negotiations. The Government must act in the national interest and the interests of the whole island, not just this state. It should abide by the terms of the Sinn Féin Private Members' motion passed by the Dáil which calls on the Government to negotiate special status for the North in the European Union.

Sinn Féin has a mandate and a duty to defend the democratic wishes of the cross-community majority who have not consented to leave or be dragged out of the European Union by the British Government. We will not let the British Government use Brexit to unravel the progress made in the past 20 years. We call on the Government to play its part also. It must ensure, at all costs, that an external EU border is not placed on the island of Ireland. The best way to do this is through negotiating special status for the North within the European Union, no more and no less.

See this speech in context