Brexit and Good Friday Agreement
Deputy McDonald raised concern that Brexit votes in Westminster threatened the Good Friday Agreement and asked that the issue be raised with the Taoiseach and British Government. The Tánaiste said Brexit priorities were being pressed with UK ministers and the Taoiseach.
Last night in a debate in the House of Commons on the Brexit Bill, the Conservative Party voted down an amendment which would have blocked any changes to the Good Friday Agreement pursuant to Brexit. It is clear that contrary to the assurances by Theresa May to An Taoiseach, the future of the Good Friday Agreement is not in fact sacrosanct. The Brexiteers from the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, the Ulster Unionists and the United Kingdom Independence Party, UKIP, all supported the Conservatives in voting against protection for the Good Friday Agreement. Two weeks ago, my leader, Deputy Adams, warned that the agreement would be destroyed if the North is dragged out of the European Union-----
Comment on this
This decision confirms our worst fears. Will the Tánaiste raise this matter with An Taoiseach to ensure it is raised at the highest level within the British Administration and ask that An Taoiseach stop playing as junior partner to the British Government in these matters?
Comment on this
The Taoiseach has made clear, and is doing so today in Poland, the absolute priorities of the Government in respect of Brexit, as indeed I did in meetings with the Home Secretary last week and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Of course that will be to the fore in the Taoiseach's discussions on Brexit.