Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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44. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his assessment on the implications of Scottish independence for Irish foreign policy and for the Northern Ireland peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7989/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The people of Scotland will vote in a referendum on 18 September 2014 on the question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?".

The referendum campaign is ongoing and many questions and issues are arising in the debate. Assessments of the implications of a yes or no vote are being put forward, by the ‘Yes Scotland’ campaign and the current Scottish Government on the one side, and by the UK Government and the ‘Better Together’ campaign on the other. In addition, there has been a good deal of analysis and commentary, by think tanks, media and other contributors across civil society. The reality is that many of the questions are hypothetical, and cannot be definitively assessed at this time.

Many of the issues arising in the Scottish debate are important to us, with the potential for direct and indirect impact on the interests of this State, and this island more broadly. There are also important EU aspects to consider. The Government is therefore monitoring the debate very closely and maintaining a keen interest in how discussion is evolving.

The Government take the view that the question is one for the people of Scotland to decide and that public speculation or comment would be neither appropriate nor helpful.

Regardless of the outcome, our close and friendly relationship with Scotland, and with the UK, will continue.