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

We see these changes daily. We will all keep an eye on how things go next Monday most importantly.

Would no Brexit at all be welcome? I would say "Yes". While obviously this has taken considerable time, cost, energy and effort, nobody wants to see the UK leave. It has been an instrumental partner in the EU for the past 45 years, joining at the same time as us. We have many of the same priorities, goals and objectives. Of course in the way the conversation is happening on the future of Europe there would be questions we would have to be able to answer and address. This is something the UK would need to request. I do not think we would be stopping it.

As the Senator stated, we do not want people to leave; we want the Union to expand. We want the process of enlargement to continue. The ambassador from Georgia is present. We want states in the western Balkans and further afield to benefit in the same way that Ireland has, once they comply with the rules and regulations. We should be looking out and not looking to make the Union smaller.

Deputy Durkan talked about staying away from a plan B. We are not preparing for a border on the island of Ireland. It is not that we are hiding any planning from it. We are just not because it is not something we feel we can countenance happening.

I was asked if we get the full benefit of the Single Market. As with anything, there are winners and losers. In certain parts of it we will benefit more. Ireland has made its membership work over the past 45 years through the Single Market, allocations from the Cohesion Fund, infrastructural investment funds and CAP. The focus now should be on improving the commitments we have made and ensuring we complete the digital Single Market, the services Single Market, banking union, capital markets union and all the other key areas on which we have focused. This again goes back to whether we are a Europe of a Single Market or a peaceful Europe of values. While it is important financially to complete all these other areas, we need to return to our values and ensure the issues being raised in terms of the rule of law, the freedom of speech, freedom of the media, and particularly education are upheld at all times.

Deputy Durkan asked about CAP. It is very important to engage with our colleagues. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, has had meetings with like-minded agricultural Ministers and this is at the top of his agenda. He is also keen to ensure the budget is not reduced but if possible increased, which we would all appreciate.

Deputy Haughey asked about the political declaration. We cannot get into too much of the detail until the UK is a third country. First and foremost, the commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and the continuation of PEACE+, which is the new PEACE and INTERREG programme being proposed, are obviously significant for us. There were significant commitments on transport and aviation. As an island country this has been a priority for us and in particular the commitments given on the land-bridge, which was something we welcomed and which is in the political declaration.

Senator Richmond asked how Erasmus will operate if the UK is not part of it or the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The UK has given a commitment in the political declaration that it wants to be part of the Horizon 2020 the research and innovation programme and Erasmus+. This has been a priority for us.

Two key areas that were not specifically included in the context of the customs element of the backstop are fisheries and financial services. These two industries are significant for Ireland and the UK, as well as for some of the other member states with coastlines.

We have a commitment in these areas. Many of our priorities are very similar to those of other member states, especially the provision of PEACE programme funding, as well as in the areas of transport and aviation which are of significance to us, given that we are an island nation. Fisheries are also important. Member states are still engaging on the European Council meeting to be held in May and what will be announced at it. We finished the citizens' consultation process last May, have published our report and will present an outline of it at the December Council meeting next week. Other member states are still putting theirs together, but between now and next May we will have a clearer idea of what their priorities are. I am not sure if we will have any announcement of specific policy directions at the event in Sibiu in May, but we will have much greater clarity on the direction we want to take and some of the specific issues people want to address within individual member states.

In response to Senator Coghlan, a lot of the discussion was about Brexit. I hope I answered most of the questions.

I thank members for their indulgence and those in the Visitors Gallery.