Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The joint committee's last engagement was with Ms Catherine Day, who spoke very well on the issue of Ireland's alliance building and who gave the joint committee a lot of food for thought. She suggested that Ireland needs to do more to understand the positions of other member states and to offer more support to them on issues that are not necessarily important to us. Are there policy issues with which either Ireland or the Oireachtas have not traditionally engaged or on which we should do more?

The joint committee is interested in how alliances can be built, not just at ministerial and governmental level but also at a parliamentary and civic society level. The Houses have been active in this area. Are there areas where additional parliamentary input could be beneficial?

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has also prioritised trade and business links in its Global Ireland strategy, proposing expansion of our agencies abroad such as Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, and Bord Bia, all of which do great work. Are there any other existing networks we can utilise to build bilateral relations?

When in Brussels or travelling with Ministers, are there things about Ireland that the witnesses feel are not always understood and that we should try to explain better? Should we be showcasing or selling ourselves and highlighting all the positive attributes of Ireland and our society, such as our business acumen, our exports, and the intelligent young workforce that we have to offer? In my humble opinion, we are way better than anybody else around the rest of the world or the rest of Europe, but in selling that and selling all the positive aspects of Ireland, are we doing enough? Do the witnesses find in their roles that there are ways we fall down? The only way we can get better is by raising the bar at all times and trying to push ourselves further, be that as parliamentarians or at ministerial or governmental level. While we can have all the political debates we want here, I am of the belief, and people of all political parties and none would know this about me, that while all of the Brexit negotiations are ongoing, every single person in the Houses of the Oireachtas should be working together. It is not that we all have to be blindly supportive of what the Government is saying on the issue, but I really believe it is not a time for us to be critical of ourselves or of the work that is being done. It is a time to row in and say that we are all in this together, that we are all working to achieve the best deal we can for Ireland, and to ensure that the peace process, our trade, and our international reputation will come out of this as best they can.

Politically, as serious and sensible politicians, we have to row in. I have always complimented the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, and all of the officials involved, and I will continue to do so. We must remember that in many cases the politicians are at the forefront and they are the people who are seen on the nine o'clock news and on the world stage, but there is excellent work being done by permanent representatives in the different Departments who are trying to get us prepared for whatever eventuality we have to face.

Looking at us in a critically positive way, are there things the witnesses believe we should be doing that we are not doing? If there are, I would like to hear about them, and I am sure my colleagues would also like to hear them. I will hand the floor back to representatives and they can treat this response in whatever casual way they prefer, by answering informally or in whatever way suits them.