Government’s focus is to keep Britain in the EU as it is Ireland’s most important ally in Union

The unrelenting focus of the Irish political system should be on keeping the United Kingdom in the European Union, a Government Minister has told an Oireachtas committee examining the prospects of a so-called Brexit.

Minister of State for European Affairs Dara Murphy yesterday outlined the Government's position on a possible British exit from the EU, if a referendum is held there after its general election.

Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, he said: "Ireland should – in my view – be sending strong, positive messages about the benefits of British membership of the European Union, especially in terms of the relations between our two islands.

“That’s how we can make a constructive contribution to the debate in Britain. And it helps us to avoid lending weight to the negative notion that a UK withdrawal from the EU is somehow inevitable – something which I, for one, certainly don’t accept.”

Mr Murphy said the Government believed that Britain’s continued membership of the EU was “absolutely in Ireland’s interests. Everything we do, quite simply, is predicated on the belief that we want the UK to remain in the Union.”

He then set out four ways in which British membership benefited Ireland. The first was its position as Ireland’s largest trading partner.

He said that the wider relationship between both countries was also very strong and they had worked together effectively within the EU apparatus.

‘Force for good’

The third, he said, was

Northern Ireland

, where the “EU has been a genuine force for good – something which is often overlooked. It has helped to foster peace and reconciliation and provided a framework for co-operation, including between North and South, and between unionists and nationalists.”

He said the fourth reason was the UK remained an important friend and ally within the EU. “In many ways it is our most important friend and ally. There is no doubt about that. Ireland and the UK – on account of our shared history, similar economic model and common law legal systems – think similarly when it comes to a range of policy areas.

He said the Government recognised that the UK had “some legitimate concerns that should not be ignored. Ireland will be naturally sympathetic and supportive when it comes to addressing those, especially because – as I have said – the UK is our closest friend and ally in the Union.

Northern Ireland

Separately, Fianna Fáil leader Micheáal Martin criticised Britain’s Conservative-led government for presiding over a “growing crisis” because of its attitude to Northern Ireland and the European Union.

In a speech to the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA), Mr Martin described an audit by David Cameron’s government of how EU laws affect Britain as “anti-European bluster based on nothing more than prejudice”.

“In most areas the review found that claims of EU interference were untrue and that having common EU regulation was a benefit to British business because it created a level playing field.”

Mr Martin said the Government must prepare for the possibility of a “Brexit”. “Whatever happens it’s unlikely to be a clean decision and we have to be clear on what we want,” he said. “It is Ireland’s duty to prepare for the possibility that Britain may leave the union.”

The preparations should also factor in the possibility of Scotland choosing to stay within the EU. “On constitutional matters the term of the Conservative Cameron government has been distinguished by growing crisis,” Mr Martin added. “In Northern Ireland a policy of disengagement came close to collapsing the political institutions. In Scotland there was a dramatic surge in support for dissolving a 300-year-old union. In relation to Europe the policy has been confused and damaging.”