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

On a hard border, it is fair to say that all of us in this House want to avoid it and I think we can and will avoid it. The terms of the transition are now agreed. Even though nothing is finally agreed until everything is agreed, at least the terms of it are agreed and are now highlighted in green, which means we have until 2021 to prepare for any permanent changes that may occur. In terms of what is happening now, a series of meetings are taking place in Brussels, with the UK on one side and Ireland and the task force on the other side. We are engaging on the text of option C and any alternatives that the UK may put forward. Other member states are 100% supportive of the text produced by the protocol. We are open to amendments as long as the outcome remains the same. This is the approach we are taking. We are not making any specific preparations for a hard border. We are doing everything we can to avoid it, first, by having a backstop in place and, second, by trying to negotiate a new close partnership between the EU and the UK that would allow us to not ever have to activate the backstop. They are the objectives we are working to.

On Salisbury, the Council agreed two things. It agreed the text that we agreed with the UK's assessment that it was highly likely that the Russian federation was involved in this response and also that the EU ambassador would be recalled from Moscow. There were many other suggested actions but that is what was agreed. It was also agreed that member states that were willing and able would expel diplomats in a co-ordinated way on Monday afternoon and 14 EU states did so. We decided to wait until after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and so we were the 15th or 16th state to do so.

On Turkey, there was no discussion on the Kurdish region. There was a discussion on Cyprus and its territorial waters and the two Greek soldiers who were not being detained in Turkey.

On the Tánaiste's comments, I would first need to see the question he was asked. I am always loath to comment on the comments of others without first seeing the question asked and the full answer given. I am pretty sure I agree with what he said, which is that we expect and want to have the terms of the backstop agreed by June and we are pushing very hard to have that done.

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