Enda Kenny: ‘Break out of bubble of politics’

The Taoiseach has urged European leaders to “break out of the bubble of politics”.

Addressing an event attended by EU heads including Angela Merkel, Mariano Rajoy and European Council president Donald Tusk, Enda Kenny also warned of the drift from centre politics and the threat of a new right revolution which he said “will not be televised, it will be tweeted”.

Turning to Brexit, he appealed to European leaders to include Ireland’s “unique circumstances” in the “ground rules” of talks.

Speaking at the EPP congress in Malta, Mr Kenny said European governments must have “the sense and the humility” to recognise that “we have not got everything right, that we could have and will do better”.

“We need to break out of the bubble of politics that we live in and listen to all those voices out there.”

Warning of the drift from centre politics and the rise of more radical parties in several European countries he said: “The new right will not be dressed up as the old, it will be more subtle, the new right revolution will not be telvisied it will be tweeted and it is our responsibility to ensure that the centre, where we stand, holds.”

He added: “We have not always listened as we should and becuase of that good people have been pushed to the left in anger and to the right in fear.

“We have the opportunity to bring those people back and I know that we will.”

Focusing on America and President Donald Trump who hey met on his St Patrick’s Day trip to the White House, Mr Kenny said: “We need to explain ourselves much better to the world and in particular to the United States of America.

“We need to demonstrate just what our union can do.”

This was echoed by EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who criticised President Trump for promoting Brexit as a positive development.

Mr Juncker told the EPP gathering: “If he continues like that I am going to promote the independence of Ohio and Texas.” He added Brexit “is not the end that a lot of people would like”.

Mr Kenny asked EU leaders for support for the Northern Ireland peace process when Brexit talks begin adding “unique circumstances that apply in Ireland’s case”.

He said that up until now Europe’s “support has been critical in maintaining the fragile peace process through difficult times.

“Ireland again will ask for your support in continuing that peace process.”

The Taoiseach pointed out that Ireland would remain in the EU but the North will not and “therefore we need your support and the language of the Good Friday Agreement included in the ground rules in negotiations as Britain exits the European Union”.

Mr Kenny said we are now in a “time of unprecedented challenge and unprecedented opportunity”. He said when the EU was created it was “never contemplated” a country would leave.

“We must therefore deal with the consequences of that decision. The protection in our people’s lives in the support for eachother, big countries working with small countries in our common interest.”