Enda Kenny welcomes UK commitment to ‘constructive’ Brexit

The Taoiseach has welcomed British prime minister Theresa May’s commitment to a “positive and constructive’’ relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit.

Enda Kenny said knowing more about the UK's intentions would be important as the State continued to prepare for the negotiations on Britain's EU departure.

“From Ireland’s perspective, it is crucial that the negotiations are conducted in a constructive and orderly way; and we will continue to encourage our EU partners and the UK to maintain a calm and balanced approach,’’ he added.

Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, in advance of the European Council meeting in Brussels later this month, Mr Kenny said council members would discuss the guidelines for the upcoming negotiations with the UK with a view to their formal adoption.

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Belfast Agreement

Mr Kenny said the Government would continue to defend the Belfast Agreement, in spirit as well as in letter, and to make clear that, as an internationally recognised treaty, registered with the United Nations, it provided a unique political and constitutional framework on the island of Ireland.

"Whatever happens in the Brexit negotiations, nothing should undermine the peace and stability in Northern Ireland that had taken so long to achieve and in which the EU had played such an important role."

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said while the summit was intended solely to address the article 50 negotiations, people expected Europe's leaders to take some time to discuss and act on the recent events in Syria.

“Once again, the Assad regime has committed a war crime against the people of Syria,’’ he added. “The latest chemical weapons attack was another grotesque and inhuman act.’’