North election may clash with Brexit talks, Taoiseach Enda Kenny warns

An election in Northern Ireland could clash with Brexit negotiations, the Taoiseach has warned.

Calling on all sides in the North to engage in talks today and over the weekend, Enda Kenny raised concerns that a general election would take place at the same time as UK prime minister Theresa May begins the process of Britain leaving the EU.

Speaking in Madrid where he met with Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, Mr Kenny said: “If it doesn’t come together and the Assembly has to trigger a dissolution of the Assembly and then name a date for an election, then clearly that election process would possibly be underway when the British prime minister triggers Article 50.”

Separately, Mr Kenny had sought recognition of the unique circumstances and issues for Ireland around Brexit from his Spanish counterpart.

A spokesman for the Taoiseach said Mr Rajoy had acknowledged Ireland’s unique situation during their 30-minute meeting at Moncloa Palace.

After the meeting, Mr Kenny said: “I pointed out to the prime minister our unique circumstance in Ireland, both in the links between Ireland and Britain over many years, the trading relationship of over a billion, the common travel area and the fact that we have a unique circumstance in respect of Northern Ireland and we discussed that at some length.

“So obviously, we will keep in very close contact here.”

He added that fluctuations in sterling has already caused a “serious issue” for Irish business and agriculture.

Mr Kenny has been in contact with both the leaders of Sinn Féin and the DUP since the shock resignation of Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister over the “cash for ash” scandal.

He said both the DUP’s Arlene Foster and Mr McGuinness had indicated that they are willing to engage in discussions over maintaining the now fragile power-sharing agreement.

“My intervention was not one of dictation because I am not in a position to do that but it is an effort to facilitate discussion about what is a very important matter for the people of Northern Ireland,” Mr Kenny said.

If Sinn Féin do not put forward a replacement for Mr McGuinness by Monday, which is their intention, an election will be triggered.

Mr Kenny added: “What interests me here is the continuation of the institutions of Northern Ireland. My responsibility as co-guarantor is to see that the Good Friday Agreement is implemented in full, it has not been implemented in full to date.

“That can only happen when you have institutions that are functioning with an executive in situ including a First and Deputy First Minister,” he said.

Mr Kenny and his Spanish counterpart also discussed the links in trade and tourism between the two countries as well as the threat of gangland violence and terrorism.

With almost 40,000 Spanish children visiting Ireland every year to learn English, Mr Kenny said he would be highlighting the importance of strengthening the teaching of Spanish in our schools. “It is an issue that I will ask our own Minister of Education to reflect on in terms of development of curriculum in Ireland for linguistics and languages,” he said.

The Taoiseach then visited the flagship Primark store in the centre of Madrid and attended a reception in the Irish Embassy last night.