David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for giving us an outline of what will be in the Bill. I have read the general scheme of its provisions and I am somewhat acquainted with what it hopes to achieve. Whatever we can do to support the passage of the Bill we will do. I concur with Teachta Collins that it would have been better if the Bill had been published earlier. The Minister spoke about the Bill going to the Cabinet next Tuesday, being published the following week and going before the Dáil at the end of the month. This means it is three or four weeks before D-day. It would have been better to have had more time. The Minister appreciates it is a comprehensive Bill that will cover nine Departments. Spokespersons for these respective portfolios will want to have an input. Notwithstanding this, whatever support we can give the Bill we will do so to ensure it is passed because we need to plan for every eventuality.

I want to make a point on the general politics. The Minister is right to point out there is an agreed and consistent Irish position from the Government and the Opposition on this issue. I have been in Westminster several times in recent months and have met political parties, politicians and media. The commentariat in Britain is struck by the level of unity that exists in Ireland in comparison with the disunity in Westminster. It is quite striking to them and it is to our benefit that we have it. I want to point out it is not just in the South but also in the North, with the exception of the DUP, where the other parties have been united and have done a lot of collaborative work on supporting the backstop and having meetings in Brussels and Westminster. This has been for the good.

With regard to the politics, and to bring it back to the Bill, the Minister is right to say the solution to any problem should come from the people creating the impasse, which is the British Government. It is reneging on a deal that was already done. The Minister is right that we must watch our language and temper what we say because we do not want to end up, by accident or design, in a situation where we have a hard crash. If we arrive at a hard crash it will not be the fault of any politician in Ireland and that is for sure. If we arrive at a situation where there is a hard crash, and however unlikely people think that might be it is still a possibility, tough decisions would then have to be made and action would have to be taken by the Irish Government on the Border. All of the other provisions in the Bill are all very necessary and important but what happens at the Border in the event of a hard crash is the elephant in the room. I have heard the Minister say previously why he cannot answer this question but it is the question being asked. As the Minister knows, a very important event took place in Belfast at the Waterfront with 1,700 people from throughout civic nationalism, where very real concern was expressed about what will happen in that scenario and the lack of clarity on it coming from the Irish Government. It is something that is lacking. It is the biggest contingency that will have to be put in place but it is not at all covered in the Bill.