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THE TÁNAISTE HAS said Ireland faces “unprecedented challenges” as Brexit negotiations continue.
Addressing an event organised by Columbia University in New York, Simon Coveney said the “creation of the closest possible future connection between the EU and the UK” is in the European Union’s interest and “overwhelmingly in Ireland’s interests”.
‘We cannot alter the basic facts of geography and history. And those facts shape our future in Ireland more than they impact any other country in the European Union.”
Coveney said the outcome of the UK leaving the EU should not “in any way undermine the hard-won gains of the peace process, as exemplified by the Good Friday Agreement”.
In December all sides agreed that the GFA, which officially ended the Troubles in Northern Ireland, must be protected in those negotiations. The British deal with the EU made specific reference to “protecting the operation of the 1998 Agreement”.
In recent days, Irish politicians have had to defend this stance, after a number of British politicians and commentators said it may need to be reworked.
‘We can’t give up’
Speaking about the deadlock in negotiations to restore power-sharing at Stormont, Coveney said: “We urgently need to see the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly to harness greater and broader Northern Ireland input into how to make the best of Brexit.
Despite the efforts of both governments in recent months, and especially in recent weeks, it is deeply regrettable that there is at present no power-sharing Executive in place. However, we will not give up – we cannot give up.
He added that Ireland remains “more than ever committed to our membership of the EU”.
Speaking about the EU’s relationship with the US, Coveney said the Union “needs and wants the United States as its major international partner – in foreign and security policy, in free trade and investment, in protecting the environment”.
He said the US and UK have a “very strong” bond but that this “should not be an alternative to, or a threat to, the EU-US relationship”.
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@Jonathan Nolan: Simon Convey also said we have a complex history with the British. Why don’t you just tell the world what really happened and stop flouring around afraid to upset the British. The world needs to know what the British did to Irish people.
@Stephen Winterson: do you think the world should know about Ireland s role in British colonialism.
@Stephen Winterson:
Coveney’s a Tory at heart, he won’t upset his British counterparts. Without the Tory Party there would be no Fine Gael.
@Stephen Winterson: I say it has a good idea as the brits didn’t confine it to Ireland
@Tommy; That is a subject that is pretty much banned here as that history doesn’t sit well with the narrative of Irish nationalism.
@Stephen Winterson: Clowns like you like to spread misinformation and spread hatred. Repeating ‘history’ learned from idiots in a pub does nobody any good. History should always be judged in the context of the time. Grow up!
@Adam Reid: At one point there were more irish people serving in the british army than any other nation apart from those from britain themselves – at the height of the empire. We constantly see the republican revisionist try to airbrush this from our history instead of just seeing it for what it was. 800 years of oppression my backside. we were in collusion, willing members of the colonial empire and at the time it was a minority that thought different. With family on both sides of various conflicts in this nations history, serving in the defence forces myself, great uncles who died in the pacific or on frances fields in WW1 or landing in france on DDay in ww2, I can see through the BS and embrace that past as much as i can proudly look back at the birth of our modern republic and also extend a hand of friendship to our neighbours. Why cant everyone else? build a bridge, get over it.
@Stephen Winterson: we haven’t yet reinvented our version of history.
@Adam Reid: Like the Boer concentration camps Adam or the Amritsar Massacre in India or the famines in India and Ireland where food was exported to Britain at the same time.
I could go on but you get the picture.
@Ros Aodha: As valid as your point may be Ros, I think of lot of those men who died, fought out of necessity to feed their families, rather than loyalty to the Crown.
@Ros Aodha: Very true. At the Battle of Waterloo there were more Irish on the victorious side than English, Welsh or Scottish. Irish descendants can be found all over the globe, fighting and working for the Empire played a big part in that.
@Tommy Whelan: Please enlighten us, Tommy.
@Tommy Whelan: stop talking nonsense .
You mean ulster scots planters ? at that point ireland was part of the same nation as Britian so thats not at all surprising . the fact is ireland if a former colony of britian similar to that of india this is undeniable no irish but a small elite minority benefited or had any rights under british rule . you need to grow up . i bet you arent Irish you probably are from bristol .or maybe one of those bonker loyalist lunatics left over from the empire an insecure import from britian .
@Adam Reid: only clown l see is you who is ether ignorant of history or trying to pervert it . ireland is a former colony of britian similar to that of india no amount of lies will change that fact , only a small minority of elite mostly descended from british planters and anglo families , the average irish person had no rights and was vastly lower than the worst peasants in slums in britian , the entire population of ireland was a slum akin to Ethiopia under british rule , cultural oppression was the norm . l have a near phd in irish history btw .
@Adam Reid:you left out an important bit of information that most of those in the Battle of Waterloo were infact Anglo irish even duke of wellington was anglo irish , they were elite class and can hardly be said to even be called irish or represent the real majority of the irish population .
@Adam Reid: stop trying to pervert the truth for your agenda Stephen is correct in his comment .
“We can’t alter geography and history”, maybe you can’t alter past history but you can alter the course of history. Mind you, you don’t have a track record to inspire confidence.
Brexit is a total distraction, the real issue is protecting the Irish language rights of 0.24% of the Northern Ireland population; thankfully Sinn Fein are totally focused on the latter.
Coveney is wasting his time on the non-issue of Brexit.
@alphanautica: what a stupid comment. They’re absolutely right to push the language act. Otherwise, they’re telling the Irish people there ‘F Off. You’re British. You’re their problem’
@alphanautica: shinners should only be spoken to in irish from now on LOL
@frank murphy: you are literally a joke around here. People think so lowly of your opinions that I’m still convinced you’re actually quite a clever guy workin’ for SF
Does anybody not remember how the EU and ECB handled the bailout a couple years ago? It was under their instruction that we had no deaf relief and were forced to pay back bondholders at full value.
Now they are all about supporting the Irish because the suits them, they are using us as a stick to beat the British with. When we are no longer useful things will return to business as usual, increased European federalisation, common tax policies, common military etc.
The UK is by far our biggest trading partner and I think in hindsight we will regret being so strongly pro-team EU. With the way the EU is treating the British, they are forcing them towards a hard BREXIT.
The government should ignore the EU and enter into direct formal bilateral negotiations with the British. It’s too important an issue to leave to Europhile bureaucrats in Brussels who couldn’t care less about our national interest.
Admittedly with the Conservative government in the UK being propped up by the DUP thing could get tricky but what other choice is there?
@John Fergus: “When we are no longer useful things will return to business as usual”
France and Germany are already planning to control Europe. they have just resurrected an old treaty of theirs to share power in Europe. the tories seen the danger long ago and the eastern European block of Poland ,Hungary, Chezkslovakia etc are waking up to the danger.
Then we have our own headless lick ar–s just sleepwalking us into a franco german dominated Europe where between them they will share the spoils by legislating totally in their own interests.
As regards brexit, eaten bread is soon forgotten . Brittain along with the USA saved Germany from stalin and France from itself after they stabbed them in the back during the 2nd WW with their Vichy govt.
@mur: meh in 15 years time Germany will be so ‘multicultural’ u won’t be able to tell the difference,, same at France too
Linking direct rule with the brexit negotiations is key. It’s where all our leverage is and it supersedes the DUP’s leverage.
@Toomasu Sumitsu: You do not speak for us.
@Toomasu Sumitsu: It now seems that the English government want to keep Sinn Fein from been in a devolved government,and the DUP are dictating to the English government just to hang on to power.How can the DUP claim to be speaking for everyone in Northern Ireland.when the majority voted to stay in the EU
The UK’s economy will suffer greatly by Brexit, even by the most conservative predictions. The UK in it’s current form might not be around in 10 years. Why are we tying anchor to a sinking ship?
We should aim at mitigating the trade deficit incurred by Brexit by increasing trade with our EU neighbours and capitalise on being the ONLY English speaking country in Europe.
Brexit is a massive opportunity for Ireland not an impediment
@Ooby Dooby: Only English speaking country in Europe ? _ that’s incorrect.
1) Virtually every Western European country teaches English in school.
2) The UK will not be leaving Europe.
3) If you meant to say “The only native English speaking country in the EU”, that’s not exactly true, isn’t it Irish that’s the native language and what all the fuss is about ? – isn’t English the “colonialist” tongue thrust down by the “Empire”
4) If you wish to succeed in the EU, perhaps consider removing one of two languages normally on the school syllabus here and replace with German.
That’s proactive, and before Brussels issues the directive in a few years.
What’s “power-sharting”
@Jonathan Nolan: It’s that little bit that comes out when you power too hard.
@Stephen Winterson: love it Stephen
Ultimately, the reunification of Ireland is what is needed, but in the meantime there are things that should be remembered:
As the influential Conservative Party MP and potential next leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, pointed out importantly yesterday, Britain does not want a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the wake of Brexit, it is only the EU that wants a border (with customs checks, etc) set up. But yet, in the public comments by our politicians in Ireland and the Irish media, it is invariably the UK who gets blamed when the subject of potential border controls is brought up; we do not in Ireland engage in a critical analysis of the stance and approach that the EU side is taking on the issue of the Irish border, i.e. the fact that it is the EU that is desiring that a border be established in the wake of Brexit, not Britain.
@John Reid: The EU wants a border with a non-EU country? How dare they!
How do you and “the influential Conservative Party MP and potential next leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg” propose it’s handled? An honour system where truck drivers drop their non-paid import duites in to donation boxes?
@John Reid:
Of course our poliyicians engage in analysis . their measured thoughts are only concerned with their place on the EU gravy train when the Irish public wake up and sack them..
remember when Kenny was telling us how bad the bankers were ,he was attending plush banking dinners with the same folk telling them it was paddys fault the system collapsed and micky noonan met with speculators and bankers in a session where media were banned from reporting on the secret sweetheart deals
In real terms I think only a certain amount of people really get into strong political mindsets the rest just go along and that’s why nothing really gets done ,Ireland’s relationship with England is actually to strong ,I doubt if you sat in a room with 50 people at least one would have a relation who is living in England or lived there or some tie
@FlopFlipU: More like if you sat in a room with 2 people that statement would also be true.
Now more than ever, the government need to actively pursue and encourage a United Ireland. It’s the only way to distance ourselves somewhat from Brexit and the nightmare that is the border problems and to take our own future into our own hands instead of hanging on every move the Brits make
Too much talk about Brexit. They’re talking about it like its nuclear war. There’s more important issues impacting people than harping on about how we’re f*cked over Brexit 24/7.
@6ljJQRRU: important issues like for instance the health service or social housing? How do we solve them? Money I think is the answer…money we get from having a stronger economy. An economy that can be endangered by Brexit?
I’m pretty sure coveney can’t alter anything. Incompetence is a major factor.
Power-sharting? I do not like the sound of that.
Coveny swanning around, telling us everything we already know ,simon what you think and your friend, cast iron leo will have little impact on the final agreement ,we are caught between a shark and a whale, and all we will be is collateral damage .the sooner we realize this we can plan for the future .the stalemate in the six counties is also being used for political advantage by both the unionist and sinn fein ,we are where we are and a pig likes nothing better than to wandering around in its own muc
They stole are land (ulster plantations)
They stole are food (Irish famine)
They stole are culture (irish cultural oppression )
now they are trying to steal are peace of this island . bloody brits .
We hold a fundemental right to language and culture in “Ireland”,,,will the “British” tell the rest of “Europe”you must speak “British” no i thought not the “British” got a complex issue with “Ireland” I say if it’s that complex,,,,what the feck are you doing in “Ireland” Hi,Brits does the term Invasion of a foreign country wring any bell’s,,,,not just 1916,,,try the Cromwell period,,,Rape,,Murder,Pillaging,wrongful executions of men women and children,,,the term “Genocide is more fitting.
I recommend bringing them before the “Hague” for historical Crimes Against Humanity.
I’m guessing that would be the winning formula for getting “Stormount” on track.
Never be frightened to speak out many better men and women died for a better Ireland.
The Good Friday agreement is an obstacle to a durable, long lasting political settlement in N.Ireland.
http://ardevine.blogspot.ie/2018/02/why-good-friday-agreement-will-never.html?m=1
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