Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs on his new appointment. I welcome the outcome of the negotiations by successive Ministers and our Government in ensuring there is no hard border on this island, that we protect the all-island economy, that there is unfettered access in Northern Ireland to European Union markets, that we protected the Single Market and we continue peace and stability and the good things about the Good Friday Agreement. The problem is that unionists need to be convinced. We need to go to the furthest step. The negotiations between the EU and Britain need to ensure unionism can sign up and get back into government in the North.

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