Ireland should not take itself ‘hostage’ over Brexit concerns

Ireland's interests will be fully reflected in the Brexit negotiations at every stage, Minister for European Affairs Dara Murphy has said.

He was speaking in Dublin on Wednesday at an event hosted by the European Movement Ireland to mark the Maltese presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Mr Murphy said he was concerned about arguments that “because the Brexit negotiations are likely to be difficult, and because there was so much at stake for Ireland, that we should threaten to leave the EU if we don’t get what we want”.

“Taking yourself hostage is a really strange way to guarantee your future wellbeing,” Mr Murphy said.

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“Let me be crystal clear. Ireland is a committed member of the European Union. Ireland’s interests, economic, social and political are best served by our continued membership of the European Union. Our economic future prosperity depends on our membership of the single market.”

The Minister added: “We are all aware of the very significant potential negative impact of a hard Brexit on our economy, but that would be in the half-penny place compared to the economic devastation that a withdrawal from the EU would cause.”

Mr Murphy said we needed open discussion and debate on our policy options, but that it should be “serious and informed”.

UK dependence

“The consequence of leaving the European Union would inevitably be a return to a greater dependence on the UK, and without any of the input we have around the European table,” he said. “This would reverse the trend of the past 40 years and the great strides we have made in diversifying our economic and political relationships,” he said.

A close relationship between the EU and the UK, which placed the minimum possible barriers to continuing trade, was a key objective.

“But we also recognise the importance of the continued diversification of our export markets, especially for our indigenous companies,” Mr Murphy said. “This has been a long-term strategy, but work on delivering it is being intensified. This is a priority for our State agencies, our embassies, and the whole of Government.”

Brexit negotiations would be “difficult”, he said, and there were “huge Irish issues and interests directly at stake”.

Mr Murphy said the Government was carefully preparing itself “issue by issue and sector by sector to achieve the best possible outcome for Ireland and for the EU in the upcoming negotiations”.