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

I thank Deputy McDonald for the question. This is a very important matter, as everyone in the House will agree. The Government stands by the Good Friday Agreement and will defend its primacy. We see our role, as the Irish Government, as being co-defenders of that agreement. We should not forget all that has been gained from the Good Friday Agreement. It may not be operating as it should be at the moment but look at what has been gained: peace in Britain and Ireland, power-sharing most of the time in Northern Ireland and ever-closer co-operation between North and South. It is not a piece of British legislation. It is, as Deputy McDonald says, an international agreement between the British and Irish Governments, as well as a multi-party agreement among the various parties. It is an agreement that was put to referendum and adopted in 1997 with over 70% support in Northern Ireland and over 95% support in this State. While it may be factually correct to say that the Good Friday Agreement, just like any international treaty or agreement, could be changed, it could only be changed with the agreement of the British and Irish Governments and with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland and, indeed, cross-community consent at that. It is not something that can be changed by any one political party or by any one Government. Certainly, as far as this Government is concerned, the Good Friday Agreement is not up for negotiation in these talks over Brexit.

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