Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for this comprehensive overview. The Working Group of Committee Chairmen had another comprehensive briefing yesterday. I definitely sense full support from all committee Chairs in all parties to get this through in time. Deputy Cullinane is right to remark on the unity in the Irish political process, but we cannot leave out the clear unity in the European political process. It is a serious achievement to see 27 member states and the most powerful supranational institution in the world maintaining unity in the face of absolute chaos in Westminster.

Parallel to this Bill, the Commission produced its 19 legislative proposals on 19 December. What is the process of transposing them into Irish law? Is it under way or is it done through this Bill? The Tánaiste rightly says that it is immensely regrettable that we are even having to look at the heads of this Bill or have briefings. It is regrettable that it has come to this, and that regret is in no way the fault of the Irish Government or any European government. It lies with the confusion in Westminster. How much time has been taken up preparing this Bill and the crash-out measures on the Irish side? It is absolutely necessary given that we are less than 50 days away from Brexit, but it is an awful lot of very valuable time from very skilled individuals, particularly in our diplomatic corps, that could be put to better national use. I hope very much we do not have to use it but I regret that we have had possibly to waste so much time on something that is not in our control.