Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister a good afternoon. On the last issue, I suppose he is looking on with interest to see what developments occur in respect of the Bill going through the Irish Parliament. Many countries in Europe and around the world are looking to see how this debate shakes out. I am not putting words in the Minister's mouth in that regard.

I welcome the fact that he has mentioned his support in respect of the backstop regarding Ireland. As he knows, we believe it is critical to the Irish situation that there be a fallback position. We do not want to go back to a hard border. We have had a hard border in the past and we had conflict. We should be thankful that we have moved from that and that we have a peace process which, while it still has its flaws and challenges, has helped us to move on as a people and to develop better relationships with our neighbours. Brexit is obviously one of the main issues facing the EU today. I have visited Malta and am aware that it has a very large population of British expatriates. What impact does Mr. Abela think that a hard Brexit would have on a country such as Malta? What impacts are his Government looking at, particularly in respect of the impact of retired elderly people on Malta's health service post Brexit?

There was mention of the journalist, which probably ties into the hard border issue. Mr. Abela used the expression "no stone unturned". This has a different significance in Ireland. Many atrocities were carried out here over many years. A film made by families affected by the Loughinisland massacre was recently released in Ireland. These people were watching a football match. The Republic of Ireland was playing a game. Some loyalist gangs came in and slaughtered people in the bar. The British Secretary of State went on television afterwards. Those who carried out these killings were loyalists but also British agents. Unfortunately the expression used by the Secretary of State was that there would be no stone unturned. Here was a British Secretary of State in Ireland who may not have been aware that his own security services were involved in the assassination of these people. Many of those families still believe, to this day, that those who directed, controlled and armed those loyalist paramilitaries, some of whom were convicted of other offences, and those senior politicians who were complicit and who would have been aware of that strategy of killings, will never be brought to justice. I am not drawing comparisons with what Mr. Abela said, but that expression stood out starkly. Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder sent shockwaves around Europe. Groups have been set up to investigate it and they have come out with very strong statements. Ms Caruana Galizia's own family has spoken out publicly and said that they fear that those who ordered her death will never be brought to justice. I am just making the comparison with families in Ireland who had a similar problem.

Mr. Abela mentioned migration and its impact. It is one of those massive issues affecting countries right around the world but Malta's location means that it has a tremendous responsibility and a tremendous burden in this regard. It is facing significant challenges every day. One of the concerns expressed by many countries - particularly Italy but also Greece and other countries, probably including Malta - is the lack of solidarity from the rest of Europe with regard to this issue. Does Mr. Abela have any view in this regard? Ireland has offered its support in a very small way. Many of us in this House believe that we could do more. Ireland has been involved in the rescue of people and so on, as Mr. Abela has said. Other countries, however, are talking about building barriers and stopping people who are fleeing conflict.

Mr. Abela mentioned some of the regions in which there is conflict in the Middle East. People are fleeing wars and so on. Many of these countries have no difficulties with selling weapons of war to those counties who have ended up in these conflict situations or with supporting these conflicts. Is Mr. Abela concerned about the lack of solidarity? Is he concerned about the direction in which Europe is going? During the time of austerity we felt that Europe could have done more for Ireland, particularly with regard to the banking crisis. Does he feel frustrated? Does his country feel that Europe, and particularly those countries who are further away from where the refugees are landing, is not showing solidarity? What more should we be doing in that regard?

Mr. Abela mentioned Libya. To go back to that conversation, many of us look at Libya as a failed state. One sees the images of slave markets and militias dividing up and running the country. At the same time, we are supporting a coast guard that is stopping people leaving Libya and bringing them back to these slave markets.

That would be my concern about the direction in which we are heading in Europe. I thank the witnesses for their support for the backstop and Brexit. It is probably the big issue that is dominating discussion for the past two years, certainly in this House. I hope there will be a soft Brexit, or perhaps no Brexit at all, which would be the ideal. It will certainly have an impact on Ireland. We are trying to work with our European partners but when Brexit happens we will look to countries such as Malta which understand the difficulties a small country such as Ireland will have.

Could the witnesses please comment on the lack of movement in the peace process in one of Malta's neighbours, Cyprus?