Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming here and sharing his views this morning. The future of Europe was a germ of an idea that started many moons ago to bring Europe and the EU closer to the people of the European Union yet here we are, years later, still having a difference of opinion, tussle or disagreement as to what we should do from a policy perspective. If there was ever a sign of a need to change how we do things and become closer to the people, it is that we need a hell of a lot more action but an awful lot less talking about what is going on. The human rights veto that is being used by particular countries to hide and mask their infringements on human rights is probably a discussion that we could have collectively and individually, as member states, as to how to protect our people and bring the European Union closer.

I hope that we are coming to the end of a very long and arduous Brexit negotiation process. Please God, it will bring forward not something that we will be happy with but something that we will be able to tolerate, and live with, from a trade perspective. I am curious as to what plans, if any, have been put in place by the European Union officialdom and all of our agencies to continue our relationship with the parts of the United Kingdom that specifically voted to stay such as Scotland and Northern Ireland. I am not specifically talking about trade. I am talking about alliances where, as nation member states and neighbours, we need to continue to co-operate with each other.

In terms of the climate action proposals, I am lucky enough to be part of a research group that is helping the Scottish Government to create plans for it to reach out to the rest of the European Union and Europeans to make sure that we do not forget that they are still our neighbours and did not choose to leave. What plans has the European Union to continue to foster its relationships with Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and, indeed, England well beyond the trade plans that will come out of Brexit?