Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will start from the top. I met the DUP and Sinn Féin, which have been the two largest parties in Northern Ireland for two elections running and which are the main unionist and nationalist parties. I spoke to the leader of the UUP by telephone and we are making arrangements for me to meet delegations from the SDLP and the Alliance Party as soon as that can be done. However, as the House is aware, the focus has been on the talks at Stormont. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, has been there for most of this week and last and has been regularly meeting all the parties.

The issues in terms of Northern Ireland are unique and are well recognised as being unique. Every country has a trading relationship with the United Kingdom. Some countries such as Denmark, The Netherlands and France have major trading relationships with the United Kingdom and they will be impacted by any new trade rules. Perhaps not to the extent we will be, but they will be majorly impacted. We have a unique issue because of the land Border with Northern Ireland and the peace process, which is very much understood in other European capitals and in the European institutions, and that is why we will need unique arrangements to deal with our situation. Whether it is referred to as special status, special arrangements or special measures does not really matter. It is not what is on the tin but what is in the tin that matters. In any conversations that we have had, we have tried to focus on what that will mean.

To answer Deputy Howlin's question, I am optimistic. I am certainly more optimistic than I am pessimistic that it will be possible to have the Executive and the assembly re-established before the deadline. I do not wish to contemplate what will happen if the Executive is not re-established.

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