Dr. Anthony Soares:

I completely understand the point. Scotland has a Brexit Minister as does the UK Government. Senator Davitt referred to the approach being perhaps disjointed, with various Ministers and Departments each looking at what they can do.

We should bear in mind the UK Government approach to Brexit. We can describe it as disjointed too. It is difficult for another government that is trying to look at what it can do to mitigate the UK departure from the EU when the UK Government either has no wish to show its hand in terms of its plan for Brexit, or, if one were to be more cynical, perhaps, one might take the view that it does not have a plan. It is difficult for other governments to have a strategic or joined-up approach when we do not know the approach from the departing member state.

Perhaps there is some benefit to having a dedicated Brexit Minister, but at least there should be a strategic joined-up approach on the part of the Government, all political parties and all sectors in business and civic society in Ireland. As representatives of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, we advocate a North-South approach in dealing with this issue. A strategic approach would be good, but it is difficult to be strategic when we do not actually know what the departing member state is thinking or what its plans are in terms of the type of Brexit it wants.