Dáil debates

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Ceisteanna - Questions

Brexit Issues

1:45 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take the Deputy's point. A no deal situation would be catastrophic for Ireland in, for example, the beef and agrifood sectors. Deputy Nolan spoke about the Brexit position. We did not cause this, we were not responsible for it and we did not want it but we have to deal with it. In respecting the vote of the British electorate, clearly, the issues that are priority have been set out for us.

Dr. Pfeiffer is perfectly entitled to his opinion but this is decided at the European Council from a European point of view. One can have all the opinions, all the ideas and all the propositions one wants but at the end of the day, political leaders have to make decisions and the choices sometimes are not very palatable. That is why we were happy to get unanimous support from all the other 26 member states to say that Ireland's priorities are understood and Ireland's unique position is understood. We should remember that Brexit does not interfere with the Good Friday Agreement and we will not let it interfere with it. The Agreement was signed 19 years before Brexit ever became a reality.

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