Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is important to reiterate and reassert the constitutional position of the Good Friday Agreement, that is, that the principle of consent remains intact. That is the bona fide position of the Irish Government and of all parties to the agreement. Second, in all my meetings with all parties in Northern Ireland, no one has suggested that access to the European Union or the Single Market should cease because it is of huge benefit to exporters in Northern Ireland. Having access to both the UK market and the EU market creates opportunities. If a resolution of these issues could be reached, I think the European Union, along with the US through its new economic envoy Joe Kennedy, would be interested to see what we could do for the future economic prosperity of Northern Ireland if we can get a resolution of these issues. That opportunity should be grasped.

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