The Government’s priority in dealing with Brexit has to be that the cost of it is not paid for by ordinary people, warned the co-leader of the Social Democrats Róisín Shortall.
There cannot be a repeat of the economic crash which was paid for by people who could least afford it, she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
Deputy Shortall said we have to protect the weakest in society from the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
"The focus has all been on logistics and that is all very important - what will happen at the ports and at the border - but in addition to that we need to provide safeguards to people in terms of living standards," she said.
We don't want to see more severe cuts in relation to important public services like health, education and housing.
Ms Shortall was responding to comments made by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in a speech to a British-Irish Chamber of Commerce dinner in Dublin yesterday.
There needs to be assurances from the Government about the EU stimulation package and that any cost involved in implementing border checks will be funded by the EU, she added.
There needs to be a replacement jobs campaign especially in the sectors under the most threat, she said.
There are new areas where jobs could be developed such as a major retro fit programme which would create jobs and also reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
Ms Shortall also acknowledged that her party would be open to participating in Government in the future “but not for the sake of being in it.”
