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

I agree with everything the Minister said. Again, I compliment the way we are all working together in the South and in the EU. Like the Minister, however, I have met unionists and listened to them. They are exceptionally clear on the issue that there is a serious power vacuum in the North and it remains unfilled by people who support democratic politics at the moment because the DUP is not going into the Executive. I urge that we in the South go the extra mile as best we can, accepting that it is up to the European Union and the British Government to negotiate the nuts and bolts and the technical part of the agreements. After 25 years, we need to ensure the Good Friday Agreement continues to have the huge influence and the huge importance it has in the lives of people, our economies, our relationship with the United Kingdom and, as the Minister rightly pointed out, with America.

I have no doubt the answer will be "Yes", but notwithstanding the fact that Ireland is not the key driver in the EU in the actual negotiations, will no stone be left unturned to ensure unionism will buy in and that we will have a restored Executive?

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