Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, Deputy McEntee, and her senior officials. I also welcome the ambassadors and staff from embassies in Ireland who attend regularly. I commend the Chairman on his work meeting ambassadors on a regular basis. He has taken a particular interest in meeting all of the ambassadors, especially those from the European countries but also those from beyond the Union.

The Erasmus+ programme was raised earlier. I agree with Senator Craughwell that there is a need to extend it for practical skills and apprenticeships. There is no reason not to do so. Certainly, I owe a personal debt of gratitude to Erasmus. While I was not on it myself, family members have taken part. It has been one of the best practical policies of the European Union. After the UK leaves in March 2019, I understand it intends to remain within the Erasmus programme and to contribute to it. I hope that is the case.

As to PESCO, it is clear the triple lock remains, which is very important, before we can deploy troops abroad. We are in the United Nations also and people should be happy with that. Ireland is a neutral country. I do not agree with Senator Craughwell in that regard. Neutrality has served us extremely well in the past and many families would not be here today only for our stand. Éamon de Valera, his Government and the united parties at that time took a very brave and correct decision. We should remember that.

I commend what is happening in the negotiations. We have faith in Mr. Barnier and his team. As the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said, we cannot enter into bilateral negotiations with the United Kingdom regardless of whether it likes that stance. It is not in our interests to do so. We are negotiating as part of the 27. This committee has had regular meetings with our counterparts in the United Kingdom and we are going there at the end of March also. It is a very useful exercise to maintain strong dialogue with our United Kingdom colleagues. The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly was deferred last weekend due to weather conditions.

I wish the Minister of State, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Taoiseach and the Government well in the continuing negotiations. In the circumstances, we are all united in this regard and speak with one voice through the Government as to where we stand in this country as far as Brexit is concerned.