Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2015
492. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent communication by the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron, to the European Commission regarding British membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40739/15]
View answerI welcome Prime Minister Cameron’s letter of 10 November to the President of the European Council, Mr. Donald Tusk, in which he provided further details of his government’s EU reform agenda. This represents an important step forward and we now look forward to working with the UK Government and our 26 other EU partners in securing an agreement that will hopefully help ensure continued British membership.
Our approach in upcoming negotiations will be guided principally by our conviction that common Irish and British EU membership is hugely important to our country’s national interests, our bilateral relationship with the UK and the EU as a whole. We will therefore be as supportive of the UK as we can be throughout this process. At the same time, as I have said before, we will not support anything that might fundamentally undermine the Union or our own country’s position within it. The Government has been making a concerted effort to ensure that our EU partners understand the particular issues that could arise for Ireland in connection with any change in the nature of the EU-UK relationship. We are also actively engaged with the British Government on the subject. Just last week the Taoiseach met with Prime Minister Cameron in Downing Street and I will be meeting with Foreign Secretary Hammond in London next week when we will discuss the matter once more.
The focus, across Government, remains doing everything we can to secure an outcome that allows for continued British membership of the European Union. Ultimately, however, the decision will rest with the British people and we need to continue to be sensitive and respectful of the democratic process underway in the UK.
