THE GOVERNMENT IS making Downing Street aware of a request for the UK Prime Minister Theresa May to address the Dáil during her visit to Dublin this month.
Today, the Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Taoiseach if he could invite May to the Dáil. The initiative has been supported by the Green Party.
Earlier today, May delivered her much anticipated speech where she acknowledged that the UK cannot remain in the single market, but still wants access to it.
The Green Party’s Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach if it would be possible to invite May to speak, stating that there has been a long tradition of various Prime Ministers addressing the House.
It would be important that she sets out to this House, in a similar way as she did today, what her views on Brexit are. How would the government or this House for that matter send an invitation for her to speak here on that critical issue and not just go into Government Buildings and have no engagement with the rest of the political system?
The Taoiseach said he had already received a letter from the Ceann Comhairle today with regard to the matter.
I cannot give Deputy Eamon Ryan a definitive answer but I will act on the letter received from the Ceann Comhairle to see whether that might be possible,” he said.
When the Prime Minister agreed to come here, a time schedule was set in place and I do not have the details of her day other than the indication of [her] coming to discuss these matters but I will follow through on the Ceann Comhairle’s letter.
While London is being made aware of the request, it is understood that an address is unlikely due to her tight schedule. No date has been announced for the visit, but it will take place before the end of the month.
The last UK Prime Minister to address the Houses of the Oireachtas was Tony Blair in November 1998.
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