Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is ironic that Enniskillen is on one side of the Border while Monaghan is on the other side. I commend the Taoiseach on attending the commemoration, as the former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, did every year. Did he speak with the leader of the DUP and former First Minister, Ms Arlene Foster, about Brexit, conscious of the fact that her party has a different view of Brexit from most if not all parties in the Republic and the majority of people who voted in the referendum in the North? Going back to Enniskillen and Monaghan, Brexit is equally threatening to both towns. It creates the risk of significant job losses over a long period and risks a potential return of a hard border.

Following the complete confusion and chaos in government arising from the questions put by my colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, not being answered properly, the Taoiseach has said he will concentrate his efforts in the next couple of weeks on Brexit and protecting the interests of everybody on the island. How does he propose to undo the damage potentially caused to our and his reputation by what has happened in the past week? He will have to negotiate in a hardball way at the end of the next two weeks at the European summit. Did he receive or seek any assurance from Ms Foster on whether the DUP might address and be mindful of the interests of the people, not just in the North but all of the people on the island? Did he discuss the dangers posed to agriculture and trade, particularly in the North but also in the South, as well as the dangers posed to tens of thousands of jobs by a hard Brexit or the return of a hard border?

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