Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Commission accepts that what is being proposed can be followed through and worked through and that we can protect the integrity of our Single Market but also that Northern Ireland will remain part of the territorial integrity of the rest of the UK, which has been extremely important throughout all of this.

On the cross-community element, what is different here is that now we are saying to people in Northern Ireland that they essentially will have a say as to whether they want to see divergence in Northern Ireland. While there is an opportunity for an extension of four years at the end of the transition period, within that there is an opportunity to extend it to eight years. While the initial vote is a simple majority, which will not require cross-community support, if there is cross-community support of over 40% within each community within that vote itself, it can then be extended to eight years, which provides a much longer period and greater clarity for communities in the North. This addresses any suggestion that the backstop or any new deal of its kind is undemocratic, that people in Northern Ireland would be kept in or removed from any setting, either in the Single Market or the customs union, against their own will. This clearly deals with that issue and very much brings this back to people in Northern Ireland and to their representatives. Obviously the assembly has not been up and running for some time now, which begs the question as to where this would be determined if the assembly is not sitting. It can be addressed through a gathering of the elected representatives. It does not have to be the assembly. There is a mechanism in place which would prevent a stifling or a blocking of this vote from taking place. Again that is very clearly set out in the documents that were published last week.

Finally to touch on Deputy Boyd Barrett's questions about overall policy, the EU global strategy and our foreign and security policy very clearly commit to promoting peace, prosperity, democracy, and the rule of law. They also very clearly stress the importance of promoting and protecting human rights and that is exactly what we have been trying to do, particularly in terms of Syria. I think the question was asked about funding. We currently do provide support, assistance and aid to those in Syria. However, we very clearly said that any areas or any individuals that were involved in the horrendous attacks that have been taking place in recent weeks will not be receiving that support. We also have made sure that sanctions have been imposed on Turkey. This was first put in place in terms of their drilling in Cypriot waters but this obviously has not prevented them from continuing what they have been doing. We have unanimously condemned what has happened in Syria, in particular in respect of the Kurds, who have been left in a very difficult and unacceptable situation. We would call on those to cease fire and to ensure that there is an end to the fighting that is happening at the moment and to the deaths that should not be taking place.

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