Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the House of Lords committee for the work it has done and the interest it has shown in Ireland and Northern Ireland since the whole Brexit saga began. I know its members have visited Dublin on several occasions. Its work is really appreciated.

On the last point made by Senator Chambers, in the current programme for Government agreed between the three coalition parties that make up the current Government here in the Republic there are several commitments to developing the future relationship between the UK and Ireland. For example, it commits to undertaking a strategic review of the British-Irish relationship in 2020-21. Significantly, there is also a commitment to develop structures for regular meetings at Heads of Government, ministerial and senior official levels to take forward agreed programmes of work on matters of practical co-operation. We will lose the ministerial contact between the UK and the Republic of Ireland through the format of the European Union, so it is very important that we put these new structures in place. There is a commitment by the Government to put new structures in place and to build on the existing structures to which the witnesses have referred.

Is the legal action initiated by the European Commission a factor in all of this? Obviously, the UK is still subject to EU law up to 31 December. Is that legal action an issue in the deliberations of the House of Lords committee?

All of those present have referred to the hope for a free trade agreement, but what are the prospects for such an agreement? At the end of the day, do the witnesses believe we will have a free trade agreement?

I refer to the fisheries issue. Senator Chambers dealt with the level playing field. I note what happened at the European Council meeting, where President Macron of France led the way on the fisheries issue and Ireland joined in on the issue. Is the fisheries issue of practical significance to the UK or is it just a symbolic issue?

I would be interested in hearing the views of the witnesses on that.