Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join with the sympathies for Cormac Ó Braonáin on behalf of Fianna Fáil and of this House. It is such a tragic end to a wonderful future. I read about him and our President's beautiful tribute to him. I lost my best friend, Gerry Minor, at 19 years of age and I can relate to the feelings of his friends and family. It brings back the memory of my friend. His mother said to me at the time that Gerry has a very cold bed tonight. That is a lovely, sad thing but it is true.

I do not think the House will agree with this but I will suggest it anyway and it is a matter for the House to decide. I would like to send congratulations to Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, on a wonderful election result for him and the Conservative Party, with a majority of 80. I will be clear that I never envisaged another referendum in Britain about its membership of the EU. Now there is a clear decision and the agreement has been made with the support of our Taoiseach, who was most helpful in this regard. It is a very good deal as far as Ireland is concerned. It is as good as we could get. It means that a united Ireland will be achieved sooner than later because there will be no Border in Ireland, between North and South, and Ireland will be detached from the UK because it will be one country trading together. That is progress. It was noted that £46 or £47 billion sterling is being transferred from the UK to pay the EU for commitments the UK made. I will not get agreement on this but I would like to send my congratulations to Boris Johnson in that regard. I also congratulate Colum Eastwood and Claire Hanna, the partners of Fianna Fáil in Northern Ireland. We are very proud of that.