mairead says.on so it is impossible to know if it has been agreed or in many peoples minds, thatis agreed or in many peoples minds, that is not what the term was meant to be used for. the idea that there would be no higher border means that it has been sold, that is not the case. neither side wanted a hard border. that is not new information. i think it was also used as a scaremongering tactic. that was always ridiculous to think that the issue could be solved. well, mairead, on that basis, if everything related to the irish border was in full alignment, would you agree to the uk diverging in other areas? it depends on what you mean by divergences and there is dispute about that. and what other areas you are talking about. i mentioned health. this has not been discussed in the uk because there is a lack of awareness around pharmaceuticals and the fact that the european success story around registration and control and management of drugs and supply of these things. if the uk were to divert on those

i'mjoined from dublin by irish mep mairead mcguinness, who was by her prime minister's side on wednesdaygant and inexperienced for siding with the eu over the uk in brexit negotiations. what do you say to him? indeed, and he used another term which he later apologised for. i disagree with all of that because i think on the performance of the taoiseach's speech was anything but. he was very clear, he was very focused on the issues that face the european union, and he didn't dodge the hard questions. the piece about taxation, the taoiseach responded by saying there are other member states who perhaps have a higher rate of tax but when it comes to exemptions etc they collect less tax and their effective rate is lower. he dealt very comprehensively with the range very complehensivelymdthierange had that 7 an a —— and felt he had to reflected. i think the world has moved on from that type of politics, i would hope, because what happened this week in strasbourg was very significant and hugely important for europe. the taoiseach was the first leader of a country, of the 27, to put his case forw