Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a pleasure to see Mr. Verhofstadt again and to welcome him to Dublin and the Houses of the Oireachtas. The last time we met he welcomed a delegation from the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs to the European Parliament, so I am delighted to be able to join the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad in returning the hospitality to him today.

To be blunt, this is a horrible problem. It is a mess, and there is nothing nice about it. People do not realise how detrimental an effect this will have on their lives and those of their children. The UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the implications for Ireland and the implications for the European Union are all profound. Quite frankly, I was saddened by the decision. However, it was clear and we must respect it. We all must work on the challenges the decision presents. Members of this House have been doing that across a number of committees and the European Parliament has also been doing it. We see the hard, thoughtful and diligent work the European Parliament's committees have been doing in considering Brexit and the Irish MEPs have been playing a strong role in that. I acknowledge their work and thank them for it.

My committee has met a number of stakeholders and Government Ministers and is following the negotiations carefully through the documentation that is published. I have been heartened by the supportive comments and the positions taken by the European Parliament, many governments and the European Commission. However, the chips are down now. Reality is starting to bite. There are substantial and significant choices to be made by the negotiators and those they represent. Ultimately, Mr. Barnier and his team, Mr. Verhofstadt and the other Members of the European Parliament represent the citizens of Europe, including the citizens of Ireland, who will feel the impact in their daily lives. It is up to all of us to work together on practical solutions to minimise the impact as much as possible on the daily lives of citizens, on the quality of what they eat, the amount they must pay for it, how secure their savings and pensions are, whether they can go to shops or to mass up or down the road without going through border checks, how easily they can study abroad, what prices farmers get for their beef, lamb and milk, what price the consumer must pay for it and whether they can make friends with whoever they wish and set up a home together wherever they wish, be it in London, Brussels, Dublin or Belfast. All of these matters could be impacted upon by Brexit. All of them could be changed into something that resembles the parts of the past that we thought we had left far behind us.

We must work together and remain involved in and practical about the negotiations. We are not alone in this. There are two sides to a negotiation. I had hoped to see more practical and pragmatic suggestions from the British side by now, but perhaps they will come forward. They might even come forward in the Prime Minister's speech. I certainly hope so.

On the European side, the transparent way in which negotiation documents have been shared with citizens is good and must continue. National parliaments must continue to be involved in debates and discussions. I would be interested in any recommendations or ideas Mr. Verhofstadt has to strengthen the relationship between the European Parliament and national parliaments in considering Brexit. For example, is there any intention to hold interparliamentary meetings involving national parliaments and the European Parliament's Brexit steering group? There would be huge value and benefit in that. Mr. Verhofstadt travelled to the Border yesterday and I am delighted that he enjoyed meeting the cows there. I hope this visit will have given him a valuable insight into why we value the current Border arrangements so much and why they should be preserved.

The biggest challenge will be goods. There was an interesting letter in yesterday's edition of the Financial Timesfrom a Belgian customs official. It suggested that border goods should be applied for at the Irish Sea and that the customs union rules could be applied by the European Union customs officials operating in ports in Northern Ireland. That was imaginative. Are such suggestions helpful? Of course, it would be best if the UK would decide to stay in the customs union, but that decision is out of our hands. It is one for the United Kingdom.

The economic impact on Ireland is significant. Each time an Oireachtas committee examines a new issue, a new box of challenges is opened - how aeroplanes will land, how goods will get to the market from Irish ports through Wales and England to eventually reach Belgium and so forth. There are endless challenges. I remain concerned about Brexit for Irish citizens but, as Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, I am also concerned about the impact on the rest of the European Union. Even if Brexit were not on the horizon, it would be important to consider the future of Europe and where we should be going. My committee has started a public consultation process in Ireland and a series of engagements with stakeholders to examine what type of Europe we want in the future.