Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I asked about stakeholders in Northern Ireland. It is essential that a legislative framework is in place.

The heads of the Bill did not come out of nowhere. It came from teasing out some practical issues and examining the document that the European Commission published. Some of the practical issues will not need legislation but will need consideration.

The Minister mentioned talking to stakeholders, and I asked whether the stakeholders were exclusively in the Republic or whether some stakeholders in Northern Ireland were consulted or whether that was even viable. I fully understand that the 27 member states are the ones which are negotiating and while there is a great value in that for the unity of the European Union, there is a negative aspect because the Government has to postpone discussions on practical matters that must be addressed to function however we end up. Whether there is a deal or a crash-out, we will have to live with the fallout.

Some parts of the Minister's opening statement say something but one would nearly have to decode what it is. Deputy Troy asked a question about the practical issues the Minister noted may emerge. We need to understand why the Minister even referred to practical issues. Parts of the opening statement were written in code and we are trying to read through it to understand what will happen in practice and what preparation has gone on within the limited scope available to the Department, given that there cannot be formal negotiations in advance. There cannot be bilateral discussions, yet there must be agreements. We are trying to get our heads around what preparation has gone on, what discussions have taken place, which stakeholders have been consulted and what Brexit will look like in practice. The Minister answered some of those questions when he said he expected it to be relatively seamless because people will be able to buy a ticket in Belfast, get on the train, travel to Dublin and vice versa. How does the Border becoming the European frontier fit with a crash-out? Will it cause us problems in the future? It may not be a problem immediately but could it cause us a problem eventually? Will the legislation be sufficient to cover those areas or will more be needed?