Euro leaders to support statement allowing 'united' Ireland remain in the EU
Diplomats will ask the 27 leaders of the post-Brexit union to recognise the special clause, which would help set the foundations for talks on Britain leaving the bloc.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will discuss the united Ireland statement at the EU summit in Brussels, where leaders will also formally agree the ground rules to negotiate Britain’s exit over the next two years.
The basis for the declaration is after the government’s campaign to have the Good Friday Agreement formally recognised in the negotiations and Ireland’s unique position.
Mr Kenny has referred publicly a number of times to a German precedent on this.
Germany was reunited after the Berlin Wall came down and East Germany then went on to become a member of the EU.
The statement that the 27 leaders are expected to agree says: “The European Council acknowledges that the Good Friday Agreement expressly provides for an agreed mechanism whereby a united Ireland may be brought about through peaceful and democratic means and, in this regard, the European Council acknowledges that, in accordance with international law, the entire territory of such a united Ireland would thus be part of the European Union”.
Ahead of the summit, EU president Donald Tusk endorsed the special clause and wrote to EU leaders, noting that Britain must settle issues such as “people, money and Ireland” before any talks on a post-Brexit deal begin.
He told leaders: “Before discussing our future, we must first sort out our past.”
Government figures expect unanimous support for the statement today. While it will not be binding, it will be viewed as a clarification of law rather than on talks between Britain and the EU.
EU Affairs Minister Dara Murphy told the Irish Examiner the clause would say nothing about the timeline or path for a united Ireland, but the issue had always been part of the Government’s plan: “Given this [a vote for a united Ireland] could be many years down the line, we felt that its reference was very important.”
The Good Friday Agreement allows for a referendum on reuniting Ireland where it is believed a majority in the North and the Republic favour this.
But government sources were also distancing themselves from any concern emerging from London about a possible post break-up of the United Kingdom.
Scotland is also pushing for a fresh independence referendum. “This is nothing to do with London. This is a message for our EU partners,” said a source.
Today’s summit will formally start the clock on the Brexit negotiations. An immediate focus for Britain though is expected to be the cost of exiting, with some estimates as high as €50bn.
Other parties, however, want the Irish government to go further in protecting the North, especially as the majority of people there voted to stay in the EU. Sinn Féin wants the region to be given a special status in the immediate aftermath of Brexit.
Meanwhile, the Government has launched a campaign to relocate the European Medicines Agency to Ireland.
Health Minister Simon Harris was in Brussels meeting over 25 groups of diplomats and other country representatives to woo the huge EU body here in the aftermath of Brexit. The Government want the agency to relocate to Dublin and say it would provide a huge number of jobs.
