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

And in Spain. At the dinner on the first night, Prime Minister Rajoy was invited to update us on Catalonia but declined to do so. However, I took the opportunity to speak to the Spanish informally on the margins of the meeting. I emphasised our full support for the territorial integrity of Spain and respect for its constitution. I acknowledged, as Deputy Martin has, that it does not appear that there is a clear majority in Catalonia in favour of leaving Spain, and certainly not leaving the European Union. Catalonia would leave the European Union if it left Spain.

I expressed our concerns and those of the Irish people about the police violence which occurred in Catalonia and which we saw on our television screens. During the discussion, I spoke about our history and how the use of police violence and attempts to suppress free speech and free association can radicalise people who are not radical and turn people who are not nationalists into nationalists. I was pleased that the point I made was understood by the Spanish officials, namely that perhaps some of the actions taken by the national government in Catalonia could have been counter-productive for Spanish unity.

There are two sides to the story. I encourage anyone who has not yet done so to speak to his or her counterpart in Spain or to the Spanish ambassador. We already know the extent to which fake news and propaganda has claimed all sorts of things which have been disproved. I urge people to be cautious and, at the very least, listen to both sides of the story before coming to a conclusion.

I also suggested dialogue was crucial to resolving the political differences which exist and that it has to be for Spain and its citizens to determine their preferred constitutional and political arrangements through their democratic institutions. Ireland respects the constitutional and territorial integrity of Spain and, therefore, we do not recognise Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence. Any decision on a question as important as that requires legitimacy in the broadest possible political terms and in terms of the legal framework. Elections have now been called for the 21 December, in which all of the parties can participate, and will give Catalans a voice.

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