Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will take Question No. 7 as well, if I can, at the one go.

I am interested to hear the Taoiseach's view on what politically we can do in regard to the Brexit negotiations. Given that there is no nationalist representation in Westminster, given that there are reports today of 30 Members of the British Prime Minister, Mrs. May's own party stating that they will not accept a hard Brexit and given that there is a campaign within the British Labour Party to firm up its position to confirm an exit approach which would see Britain still within the Single Market, do we have any political strategy? Do we have any approach whatsoever? Are we merely sitting back, letting this unfold and seeing what the European negotiators deliver or do we have any role in the current chaos in the British political system to try and serve our interest, which is not a hard Brexit but a retention of Britain within the Single Market or customs union?

What does the Taoiseach say to Mrs. May when she comes back stating the British are adamant, as I understand they stated at the start of the talks, that they want to leave the customs union and the Single Market? Do we just accept that, do we say nothing, or what diplomatically and politically can we do? What influence do we have in the incredibly complex jigsaw of political parts that are now at play in Westminster, and at which there is no Irish political representation, which is a shame?

See this speech in context