Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach last week held meetings with the EU Presidents and with Prime Minister May. If no progress is made in the weeks ahead, the Taoiseach will face a significant decision at the March EU Council summit. It is very hard to know exactly what Prime Minister May's strategy is. However, it seems to be to push to the very last minute, to be bland again this week and give the opportunity for an amendable motion at the last minute to hold her own people together, and then expect that she can get her deal over the line with the alternative being a catastrophic fall out of the EU by the UK. Since it is now crystal clear there will be no reopening of the withdrawal agreement, was alternative wording to the political statement discussed by the Taoiseach and did he have any discussions with Prime Minister May on what might be acceptable, in her judgment, to a majority in the House of Commons?

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