Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is in a very challenging period as we move to decisions potentially being made in respect of Britain's relationship with the EU and almost certain withdrawal in terms of the current Government, but I still hope the British people might ultimately be in a position to rethink that. At the end of the day this will come down to the Taoiseach being on his own in a room with 27 other Heads of Government and he will have choices to make. I think it would be the wish of everybody here in the Dáil to see those choices made as well as possible in the interests of the Irish people, the island as a whole, South as well as North, and also to move the country to a better place. I appreciate that it is a very difficult and in a way a lonely decision-making process that the Taoiseach approaches but he needs to share more with the Dáil about what his key elements are. The Belfast Agreement, as an international agreement, offers a great deal of flexibility. Does the Taoiseach see more opportunity at this point in both the North-South relationship but also in terms of the Intergovernmental Conference process and the east-west relationship. I read the remarks yesterday of the British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. To be honest, his whole approach to Britain leaving the EU seems to have more to do with Bertie Wooster, Lord Peter Wimsey, “It’ll Be Alright on the Night”, and we are all good guys and girls and sure the Irish people are lovely.

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