Taoiseach Enda Kenny Meets With French President Francois Hollande

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has met with French President, Francois Hollande, to discuss a range of EU counter-terrorism measures and the impact of the UK's Brexit decision.

During the meeting the Taoiseach reiterated the sympathy and solidarity of the Irish people with France in the wake of the attack in Nice on 14 July.

The length of the French President's visit has been shortened following the Nice attacks.

It is understood the two leaders agreed on the urgent need to accelerate ongoing work on a range of EU counter-terrorism and security actions, and to promote the closest and most effective cooperation between police and security services. They also agreed that the surest way of asserting and protecting Europe's fundamental values is to refuse to bow to terrorism and its assault on those values.

The consequences of the UK referendum on its membership of the European Union was the other dominant focus of the discussions. The President and the Taoiseach reiterated their commitment to the principles set out by the twenty-seven Heads of State or Government on 29 June.

(MH/CD)