Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his comments. Michel Barnier, the task force and the 26 other member states have already recognised that Northern Ireland is a unique scenario. That is why we have the Irish protocol. It is why the Irish issue was one of the three key issues in phase one and continues to be one of the key issues being discussed. It will be probably the main issue for discussion at the June European Council in terms of the overall Brexit discussion.

As the Senator has pointed out, there are indeed many areas of co-operation North and South, including electricity, tourism, health and agriculture. At least 142 such areas have been already identified by the UK Government itself. That is very much part of the Irish protocol and it is what we are working towards.

The task force has been very clear that the backstop and the unique scenario for Northern Ireland cannot be applied to a whole-of-UK position. This is one of the concerns that was raised when it was suggested that customs proposal could apply to the UK as a whole, including Northern Ireland, but as a temporary backstop measure. We have consistently said that the backstop would be specific to Northern Ireland and that business would not have to change rules and regulations more than once. The transition is there to ensure it has the time to adapt if it was then, as a whole, to have to change.

Essentially, we are talking about the future relationship and obviously the backstop is very separate from the future relationship. In terms of Ireland and the UK having the best relationship possible into the future and Ireland getting the best outcome out of this because, while North-South is important, east-west is equally important and that will have to be dealt with. We have to work to the best possible outcome of a future relationship between the UK and the EU as a whole. Obviously that is our priority in terms of dealing with the Border issue and protecting the Good Friday Agreement, but we must have the backstop separate from that to ensure our interests are protected. In that regard, it cannot apply as a whole to the UK; it must be specific to Northern Ireland. We will obviously work to ensure that what was agreed before Christmas in the December joint report is translated in full into a legally operational text that will apply and that will be part of the withdrawal agreement in October.