MEPs invited to discuss Brexit at Louth County Council

Louth County Council hope to welcome members of the European Parliament to Dundalk later this year to discuss the impact of Brexit in specific relation to Louth after the decision was made to proffer an invitation at last week's full council meeting. 

Sinn Fein councillor Ruairi Ó Murchú made the suggestion to invite local MEPs to a special meeting, a move that was fully supported by colleagues in the chamber. The councillors would like the meeting to take place as soon as possible but there is an understanding that it could be September before logistics allow such a meeting. 

The General Election candidate also sproposed that Border Communities Against Brexit should attend the meeting. 

“Brexit and its impact on the people of the border area must remain front and centre of political discourse
both in Louth and in Europe”, Ó Murchú said.

Speaking afterwards, Ó Murchú added, "At the council meeting, I stated that while welcoming the recent event in DKIT,
attended by EU negotiator Michel Barnier, this invitation to the MEPs and the BCAB, is about keeping the border issue and this area especially, front and centre of the Brexit discussion.

"We would like to see the meeting sooner rather than later but unfortunately, it is very likely that even if it did happen as late as September, the detail from the British government would still be lacking."

He believes hearing what MEPs have to say on the neogiations is key, especially in relation to local constituency issues. 

"While the EU Commission and Council deal with majority of the business end in relation to Brexit negotiations, there will be an EU parliamentary vote on the final deal. "It is unacceptable for the people of County Louth and across Ireland to be pawns in these British political games."

There are currently four MEPs representing the area in the Midlands-North West constituency - Matt Carthy, Luke 'Ming' Flangan, Marian Harkin and Ardee native Mairead McGuinness.