Debate contribution: Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Debate contribution by Mr Jonathan Buckley on 2 March 2026.

MLA

Mr Jonathan Buckley

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

2 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5433083

Read the official Assembly record

Text

This is another motion that rehashes the Brexit debate. Whenever the issue comes to the House, we are often accused by nationalist parties in particular, and by Alliance, of being negative, backward and against growth. In the debate on this issue today, however, when the motion has been tabled by the SDLP, it is framed through the lens of the opportunity of constitutional change and therefore thought to be something that we should all automatically get behind. I will be very clear that the Democratic Unionist Party will oppose the motion and that it will do so for good reason. The motion is not one of strategic thought; it is about political point-scoring. It is clear that the motion, in any of its forms, is not only anti-constitutional but deliberately designed to be divisive. That is why it will be interesting to see whether the Alliance Party is prepared to support the motion, which makes it clear that Northern Ireland's future will be best served back in Europe as part of a new Ireland.

Those of us on these Benches know exactly what "a new Ireland" means. It has been quite adequately outlined by the Sinn Féin Member who spoke. It means constitutional change, and breaking up the United Kingdom. It disregards the principle of consent and constitutional norms by advocating for constitutional change, and it was directly reflected in the way in which the Irish Government behaved throughout the entire Brexit process.

I will, because the Member gave way to me.

The Member could have left out that part of the motion, but such was his desire to use the means of the Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union to advocate for Irish unity, he included it. It is clear to everybody what that is designed to do. The DUP wishes the Republic of Ireland Government every success in holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union. However, as I have outlined, throughout the Brexit process, the Irish Government acted in a hugely hostile way towards Northern Ireland and, indeed, the United Kingdom. There can be no doubt about that. As was mentioned, when my colleague Mrs Dodds was in the European Parliament, she engaged continually throughout the process in order for the European Union and, indeed, the Irish Government to understand the constitutional norms and the principle of consent. That was disregarded at every opportunity.

On that point, I will give way to the Member.

The Member is absolutely right. That, again, goes to the very heart of why we must reiterate that having the presidency of the Council does not mean that the Irish Government have a remit to interfere in the constitutional position of Northern Ireland, and they should not be given cover by leave of a motion from the SDLP to do so. We assert that very clearly. Northern Ireland has been treated appallingly throughout the process. I say very clearly that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. Therefore, our primary engagement on international and EU matters is with our sovereign Government at Westminster — I admit that they have served those of us on these Benches very badly — not through Dublin, as the intermediary. That should be clear. As was outlined by Mrs Dodds in her contribution, we have seen that even in recent times. The UK Government introduced a review of the Windsor framework following a democratic vote in this place that stripped out the principle of cross-community voting. The review involved Lord Murphy's speaking with local representatives and the UK Government to see whether there was a way of issuing some form of recourse through the existing structures. What happened? The EU refused to engage. Is that the model by which a country that has the EU presidency will conduct itself in relation to Northern Ireland? Can Mr O'Toole tell me whether the Irish Government, when they have the presidency, will attempt to remove the friction between and barriers to GB and NI trade, stop the EU laws that apply to Northern Ireland that have a huge impact on our businesses, and call for the removal of the Irish Sea border, which undermines UK integrity? Businesses face red tape.

The inclusion of the Irish Government, and, indeed, the acceptance of that in this place, will not solve that.

724 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Flagged Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:58 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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