Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In yesterday's session, the Taoiseach managed to talk at some length concerning the meeting in Downing Street but, as Deputy Howlin stated, the Taoiseach did not provide us with any additional information beyond what was available in the media. The core dysfunction in the Dublin-London relationship in recent years has been that there have been many meetings but no concrete outcome. The meetings have covered up the rapid withdrawal of London and Dublin from genuine engagement, particularly in regard to the Northern institutions.

A curious outcome of Monday's meeting was the Taoiseach's statement that he had been reassured about the link between the DUP and the Tories. Could he explain what exactly that means? What was the Taoiseach reassured about? Did the British Prime Minister, Mrs. May, merely tell the Taoiseach she was committed to the Good Friday Agreement and did the Taoiseach respond that that would be great? The latest news is the DUP is still flexing its muscles and has yet to agree a formal commitment to support the Tories in divisions. The Sinn Féin line, that the DUP supporting a government in London means the London Government is breaching the Agreement, is a curious one given that the same logic would apply to Sinn Féin in Dublin.

However, there are concerns and the concerns of others are entirely legitimate. They go to the heart of whether we can trust the independence of governments in the administering of the Agreements. Will the Taoiseach, please, outline exactly what he was told that reassured him?

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