Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty today delivered a keynote address on ‘Brexit, the economy and the impact on border regions’, at the Seán Mac Diarmada Summer School in Kiltyclogher, County Leitrim.
During the course of his address Teachta Doherty pointed out that, in recent elections north and south, border communities have rejected Brexit and are turning to Sinn Féin.
He also said that his party will seek a meeting with Leo Varadkar to remind him of his election commitment to argue for the North to remain within the customs union and the single market and have no economic border on the island of Ireland.
The following is a short excerpt from Teachta Doherty’s address;
“A chairde, as Brexit looms large on the horizon, it’s vital that Ireland’s unique circumstances be recognised by way of mitigating its inevitable challenges.
“In terms of Sinn Féin’s Brexit Planning, our party has been to the fore in putting together a coherent, sensible and practical set of solutions which we believe can best protect the national interest.
“This involves the case for the island of Ireland to be granted a number of special allowances and exemptions which can only be secured through working collaboratively with our European partners.
“In recent elections both north and south, as well as in the Westminster vote just gone, what’s evident is that in communities found both in and around the border belt, the electorate have opted to back candidates who are opposed to Brexit.
“And, increasingly, what recent ballots have proven is that more and more people are choosing to put their faith in Sinn Féin and our policies.
“What all this ultimately means is that we, our representatives both north and south, have been given a mandate by the people to execute their wishes. And chief amongst them is the rejection of the notion that there should be any hardening of the border.
“And as we here in the south prepare for Leo Varadkar’s coronation as Taoiseach, Sinn Féin too will be seeking to meet with him remind him of his election commitment that he as Taoiseach would argue for the North to remain within the customs union and the single market and have no economic border on the island of Ireland.
“We want to build on this and work with him to achieve this and more.”
