Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has renewed his call for a specially-designated status for Northern Ireland within the EU following Brexit.
He said Britain was planning to drag Northern Ireland out of the EU despite the democratically expressed will of the people in that part of the island.
“That will have a profound effect on all sections of our people,’’ he said in the Dáil on Wednesday.
The Co Louth TD said people in Northern Ireland had rejected Brexit when they voted in the referendum to remain within the EU.
Mr Adams said there could be no hardening of the Border in any way, "not physically, fiscally or psychologically''.
He said up to 30,000 workers were cross-border.
Mr Adams said Taoiseach Enda Kenny must enter any future negotiations to defend the democratic mandate of the people in the north to remain within the EU and act in Ireland’s national interest.
Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, who was taking Opposition Leaders' Questions, said the British people had made their minds up and the process was under way.
The Irish national interest, as enunciated by the Taoiseach, was a recognition of the Belfast Agreement, no return to the hard Border of the past, as well as the free movement of people between Ireland and the UK, he added.
He said it was precisely because of the work the Government had done they were now seeing those values and aims recognised in recent statements by British prime minister Theresa May.
