Mr. Michael Russell:

I thank Senator Byrne for those questions which I will take in reverse order. On the relationship issue, it is important that the Scottish Parliament and the Oireachtas are in communication. This is one of the ways in which we can do it. We can give evidence to committees, but we can also make sure that committees, for example, can sit in joint session and can also undertake investigations and can meet each other in circumstances in which there can be meaningful dialogue in this connection. We do that with a range of bodies and I would like to see that happening here. Senator Byrne and the committee members are very welcome to visit Scotland and we hope they will do so when it is possible.

I am a former education secretary in the Scottish Government. I very much appreciate the work that is done between higher and further education institutions in the two countries. We have been very happy to welcome Irish students. There are difficulties in going ahead with that on the terms that we have been able to do so, given Brexit. What we were doing was based on our opportunities under European law, but we will continue to encourage work between the institutions. It is difficult for Scottish institutions and their research basis. I also have a live involvement with Glasgow University. Their access to European funding will be substantially diminished and may be cut off altogether. It is not clear yet whether there will be continuing involvement with European programmes such Horizon, Horizon 2020 and their successors. That is one of the problems. If it will not be within that setting, then we will clearly not only be cut out from funding but from the wider interchange of ideas which is part of the research experience. There are five Scottish universities among the top 200 universities, in a nation of 5 million people, so we are "a nation of the mind", so to speak. Just as Edinburgh is defined as the "capital of the mind", we are "a nation of the mind" and it will be very distressing for us, for example, not to be able to lead projects which we have led up until now. Most, if not all, Scottish institutions have been renewing and cementing their relationships with institutions across Ireland and that will need to continue. I think it will continue. Opportunities will be sought for joint academic and research activity.

On fisheries, we have taken a very clear view that we are not the negotiating party. Much as we have been tempted to give our view on every detail of the negotiations, we have not done so. We feel it is best that the negotiation takes place without a constant commentary from us. As we wish to re-enter the EU, we clearly are conscious of the shortcomings of the Common Fisheries Policy for Scottish fishing communities. We are also conscious of the fact that fishing in Scotland is not a homogenous industry. I represent 23 inhabited islands on the west coast of Scotland and their inshore fishing is a very different industry from that, for example, of the major fleet in the north east. Interestingly, fishing boats and enterprises from the area will be able to choose to land in Northern Ireland if they are able to do so after 1 January because they may be able to sell directly into the EU, which would not be possible if they landed in Scotland. There will be a problem for processing and another problem will be selling the goods. One can catch as much as one wants, but if one cannot sell it to people then one does not have a business. People in my area are involved in selling seafood, which is very problematic. Many of the catches here are sent directly to Spain and that transportation is very quick, but if there is any delay or hold-up then there is a problem. If one sells live langoustines to restaurants in Paris and they are sitting on a motorway in Kent for seven days then, by definition, they are no longer alive. There are problems to be dealt with in that regard. I will not give a preference in terms of the negotiations, other than that the negotiations must be clear to all parties and must make sure the Scottish fishing industry is viable.