Sinn Féin open to recognizing independent Catalonia if party rules Ireland

Ireland's Sinn Féin would be open to recognizing an independent Catalonia "if that is the decided democratic will of the Catalan people" if the party rules the country. 

The new state would be expected to be "within the European Union, as we are all Europeans," the party's leader, Mary Lou McDonald, said in a press conference with Catalan president Pere Aragonès during his visit to Dublin.

However, right now, "the best course of action is for Madrid and for the Catalans to agree on the rule book and agree on the pathway forward," McDonald said. For her, an independence referendum is the "democratic, fair, but also sensible" decision to "maintain civility and social cohesion in a place with different views."

Meanwhile, Pere Aragonès said he would work much harder towards achieving a Quebec-style clarity act agreement with Spain to secure an independence referendum.

"This does not only depend on one person or one political group, but rather on a whole territory, it is important to get generous deals," Aragonès said.

Catalan envoy to Ireland

The Catalan government will send an envoy to Ireland to "strengthen relationships" before opening a delegation in the country, as announced by the foreign minister Meritxell Serret, who is accompanying Pere Aragonès on this two-day visit to Ireland. 

For her, this envoy will "work faster but more effectively to advance" the government's foreign affairs agenda.

The cabinet believes "it makes sense" to open an office in the country after Brexit.