In an interview published in this morning's edition of The Daily Telegraph the leader of the DUP Arlene Foster had this to say:

It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can’t touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context.

There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it [the Good Friday Agreement] up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation.

Such comments are not just unacceptable and wrong, they are, in fact, dangerous and reprehensible. They reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress. It should be remembered, of course, that Arlene Foster left the Ulster Unionist Party in 2003 because of her opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and it appears that the leader of the DUP has learned nothing in the intervening 15 years. It is entirely wrong to describe the Good Friday Agreement as "a piece of legislation" to be altered or changed on a whim. It is, in fact, an agreement between all backgrounds and strands of political outlook in the North and the South. It is a fundamental component of the constitutional landscape of this country. It is also an international treaty between this state and Britain which has been lodged with the United Nations. It is the people's agreement, not a bargaining chip. Perhaps the leader of the DUP needs to be reminded that the agreement was endorsed by the overwhelming majority of citizens on this island, by more than 70% of the electorate in the North and 94% of voters in this State. It was the first time since partition that unionists and nationalists, including republicans, had voted together in common cause. Incidentally, the second such instance was the Brexit referendum. The DUP rejected the Good Friday Agreement and embraces Brexit. On both counts it acts in defiance of the democratic wishes of the people of the North.

I want to make it clear that the Good Friday Agreement is not up for renegotiation as part of Brexit. It is, in fact, sacrosanct. The best way forward for everyone on our island is not to dismiss the agreement but to embrace it. Instead of play-acting and pandering to extremes, the DUP should fully commit to the implementation of that agreement rather than seeking to undermine it. It should stop denying citizens' rights. That, of course, would unlock the pathway to re-establishing the North's institutions.

Last year it was agreed that the Good Friday Agreement must be protected in all its parts. Will the Taoiseach agree with me that this is not only absolutely essential but it is non-negotiable? Will he agree with me that the Good Friday Agreement is, in fact, sacrosanct and will be protected in all of its parts?

I thank Deputy McDonald for the question. This is a very important matter, as everyone in the House will agree. The Government stands by the Good Friday Agreement and will defend its primacy. We see our role, as the Irish Government, as being co-defenders of that agreement. We should not forget all that has been gained from the Good Friday Agreement. It may not be operating as it should be at the moment but look at what has been gained: peace in Britain and Ireland, power-sharing most of the time in Northern Ireland and ever-closer co-operation between North and South. It is not a piece of British legislation. It is, as Deputy McDonald says, an international agreement between the British and Irish Governments, as well as a multi-party agreement among the various parties. It is an agreement that was put to referendum and adopted in 1997 with over 70% support in Northern Ireland and over 95% support in this State. While it may be factually correct to say that the Good Friday Agreement, just like any international treaty or agreement, could be changed, it could only be changed with the agreement of the British and Irish Governments and with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland and, indeed, cross-community consent at that. It is not something that can be changed by any one political party or by any one Government. Certainly, as far as this Government is concerned, the Good Friday Agreement is not up for negotiation in these talks over Brexit.

I thank the Taoiseach for that response. I echo his sentiments in respect of the achievements of the last 20 years. All of that should be acknowledged in spite of the fact the institutions are currently not operational. It needs to be acknowledged also that in order for power-sharing to work, in order for the institutions to be re-established, the spirit and the letter of the Good Friday Agreement must be embraced in their totality. I welcome the Taoiseach's confirmation that the Good Friday Agreement is not up for renegotiation or change on the basis of Brexit or to facilitate the extremes of hard Brexiteers. When the Taoiseach takes to his feet again, I ask him to respond directly to Arlene Foster, the leader of the DUP, and to insist of her, as a political leader, that she respects the Good Friday Agreement and that she, in fact, becomes part of the full implementation of that agreement.

I have known Arlene Foster for many years. She is a woman I like and respect. I had the opportunity to be her counterpart for three and a half years when we were both responsible for tourism on the two different parts of the island and we worked very well together when the Good Friday Agreement was operating. I would say to any political party in Northern Ireland or, indeed, on these islands that we should all respect the Good Friday Agreement and we should all work as hard as we can to make sure those institutions are back up and running again, with the Assembly giving expression to the democratic will of people living in Northern Ireland, and an Executive so that decisions are made not by civil servants or politicians in London or not made at all, but are made in Stormont, Belfast, where they should be made. It would also mean we can get the North-South bodies up and running again. The bodies still operate but the North-South Ministerial Council does not, which is of great regret when we are talking about important projects ranging from the A5, which is important in connecting Derry and Donegal to Dublin and Leinster, to the North-South interconnector and all the issues that arise as a result of Brexit.

We could manage these issues much better if we had the institutions up and running. I call on everyone to respect the agreement and the decision of the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to embrace it and make it work.