Sinn Féin’s Leader in the Seanad Niall Ó Donnghaile has welcomed the unanimous passage of a motion in the Seanad this evening calling for the full implantation of the ‘Withdrawal Agreement and Irish Protocols’.

Speaking after the debate in Leinster House tonight, Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile said;

“The implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Irish Protocol is not up for negotiation. 

“The latest attempt by the British Government to shred international agreements in pursuit of their reckless and chaotic Brexit is extremely concerning for citizens and businesses throughout Ireland. 

“Brexit has no mandate here, the people of the North voted to remain, and the introduction of the Internal Market Bill represents yet another steamrolling of our citizens’ democratically expressed wishes.

“Two institutions, the Assembly in the North and now the Seanad, have made clear their opposition to the reckless agenda currently being pursued by the British Government in regards to their Internal Market Bill and the total disregard for the Withdrawal Agreement, the Irish Protocols and the Good Friday Agreement itself.

“The implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Irish Protocol is crucial to provide maximum protection for our all-island economy, the Good Friday Agreement and ensuring that there is no-return to a hard border – both the Seanad and Assembly are abundantly clear on that and the British Government must listen. 

“Tonight I reminded the Oireachtas that there is a democratic pathway for the north to return to the EU and free ourselves from Britain’s reckless Brexit agenda and it is contained within the Good Friday Agreement that we all agree must be protected and upheld; the EU Council made clear that a unified Ireland would see the North re-enter the EU as before, as desired by the people of the North.

“Sinn Féin will continue to work in the Seanad, the Assembly, Dáil and European Parliament, along with our friends in Washington DC and EU27, to protect Ireland’s interests from Brexit.”