Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The point is interesting. We can go through key areas like policing and justice and there can certainly be an argument made for whatever EEA arrangements are there. Senator McDowell would know about extradition and how the European arrest warrant would solve the problem. A hard Brexit brings a special problem relating to the peace process in that regard. Tourism is a cross-Border and all-island issue with the related matter of the travel area. There is also the energy market and environmental issues. There is no huge success in Westminster arising from agreements on an EEA level between North and South on those matters. They do not want to see brass plate companies moving there. This is about trying to find out how to make a credible argument to say there is no downside to continuing the European arrest warrant in Northern Ireland, given the special problem we have on the island with that issue. The British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, has said no deal is better than a bad deal.

When it comes to the European arrest warrant, no deal means we now have the same problem that was dealt with by Governments in the past. The challenge is trying to identify economically, and this is an economic argument, where it is that the EU would turn around and say it cannot agree to the EEA on that.