Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will answer the last question first and the answer is "Yes". As the Deputy is aware from sitting very close to where Mr. Barnier spoke, this is one of the three priorities that needs to be dealt with. The first priority is the question of modalities and liabilities and the charge on the United Kingdom for leaving the European Union. This refers to a range of issues where contracts are in place or moneys are paid out of the European budget. There will be a difficulty in that if there is a €12 billion hole in the budget on a yearly basis, who is going to pay the extra or what programmes will be cut. Mr. Barnier stated that no country currently contributing to the European Union budget wants to pay any more and all of those in receipt of capital, grants and so on from the European Union do not want to receive any less. There will be a real problem if that is the scale of what is involved.

The Deputy asked if the matter was discussed and it was. Mr. Barnier is a negotiator for Ireland and the Border is one of the first priorities. One of the second priorities relates to the rights of citizens and reciprocal rights for people from the UK living in the EU and vice versa. The Deputy mentioned the Good Friday Agreement and when people voted on that in the beginning, they did so with the expectation of being able to continue as European citizens with European rights. Every person in Northern Ireland is entitled to Irish citizenship and, therefore, European citizenship. We want to see that retained and the common travel area between here and the UK is a matter for bilateral discussion. It is not a case of not referring to this as it is very much the focus of our attention. We want this dealt with very early on, and Mr. Barnier made this point himself publicly on many occasions. The Border issue should not become a bargaining point in respect of Ireland at some later time during more detailed discussions on trade etc. That is why it is one of the three priorities.

Deputy Howlin set out the position about the majority, equating to 72% of member states and 65% of the population. He is correct in that it would be a hollow victory. We do not want to have the case of negotiations coming to a finality at the European Council and finding ourselves stranded. That is why we have people on the negotiating task force who are in very close contact with our committee of permanent representatives to the EU, COREPER, and sherpa people in Brussels, so we know what is going on at all times in respect of the negotiating stances. I take the point of Deputies Howlin and Donnelly that it is very important for us in building those relationships to have our position cleared very early on. In fairness, most of the other European countries may not have as much interest as we do in Brexit because we are so close to Britain and for so many other reasons but they will become very interested if the hole in the budget will have an impact on programmes and structures in their countries. They might not have associated that with Brexit but if scheme X or Y is cut back or abolished altogether, people could become very interested politically.

I agree with the sentiments that we need to do the work now and this will absorb so much political time from so many leaders over the next number of years. It need never have happened but it has happened.

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