Matt Carthy and his colleague Sinn Féin MEPs this week hosted their party’s Deputy Leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and Leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The Sinn Féin leaders met senior EU Officials to make the case for the North of Ireland to be designated special status within the European Union and for the protection of the Good Friday Agreement in its entirety to be prioritised during Brexit negotiations.
Matt Carthy said:
“It was an important opportunity for us to have Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill on a two-day visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg to engage directly with EU leaders on Brexit.
“This forms part of Sinn Féin’s diplomatic offensive to build support for the case for the North to have designated special status within the EU. The visit helped reinforce the arguments that I and my fellow Sinn Féin MEPs have been making over several months.
“There is a clear appreciation of the danger posed to Ireland by Brexit. In fact I would argue that many key EU figures have a better understanding of the threats posed by any hardening of the Irish border than any British politician.
“Mary Lou and Michelle again set out the party’s case for the North to have designated special status.
“Sinn Féin has been clear that the Irish Government must represent the entire island of Ireland in Europe.
“Brexit and the Good Friday Agreement are incompatible.
“Sinn Féin has now received assurances from the EU that the Irish peace process and the Good Friday will be protected in its entirety. The best way of doing this is through the delivery of a special status for the north. The Irish government must demand this as mandated by the majority in the Dáil.
“We value the support we have received from political colleagues across Europe so far and we will continue to press Ireland’s case.”
