Arlene Foster rejects Kenny plan for all-Ireland Brexit forum

A proposed all-Ireland forum to work on ways to mitigate the negative effects of the British decision to leave the EU will not be set up after Unionists expressed no interest in the idea.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny had floated the idea last week and Government Ministers had amplified the proposal over the weekend.

However, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster has said there is no need for such a body.

The DUP leader was in Dublin on Monday along with members of the Northern Executive for the twice-yearly meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council.

The council was set up under the Belfast Agreement to discuss matters of common interest and to promote co-operation between the Dublin and Belfast governments.

Despite the Taoiseach's recent suggestions, the idea for a Brexit forum was not even on the agenda at Monday's meeting, a sign that the First Minister's office had turned down the idea from the start.

Ms Foster pointedly told a joint press conference after the meeting that she had not been approached about the forum, and it would not be happening.

“With respect to the forum that seemed to gather steam over the weekend, it wasn’t discussed with me over the weekend, or indeed before, and it wasn’t discussed at the NSMC today,” she said.

‘More than enough’

Ms Foster said there were already “more than enough” bodies and mechanisms through which the Northern and Dublin governments could co-operate. While firmly rejecting the proposal, she was keen to emphasise co-operation between the two administrations.

“I don’t think there’s any mechanisms needed because we can lift the phone to each other,” she said. “We may not agree on small things like mechanisms - we do agree on the need to work together to make the best for our people.”

Although initially suggesting that “it hasn’t been proposed and it hasn’t been rejected”, the Taoiseach soon acknowledged the reality: the idea had been rebuffed.

He repeatedly said the proposal needed “buy-in” from everyone if it was to be successful - that patently wasn’t available. Still, he insisted, “the invitation is still open”.

Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness spoke strongly in favour of such a forum.

He said it was “a good suggestion”, and implied that it should go ahead without unionist participation if need be. “I don’t think there should be a veto,” he said.

The two sides issued a joint communiqué which emphasised that officials from both administrations would intensity their co-operation in identifying measures to deal with Brexit fallout. In particular, they agreed that North-South co-operation must be protected under any new arrangements between the EU and the UK.

Both sides played down the announcement by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne that he intended to bring the UK corporation tax rate down to 15 per cent. Ms Foster described it as a good move for all of the UK.