Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The ground has been well covered already but the recent mistake was colossal. That is clear from the unified assessment of it by a collection of different voices, North and South. Notwithstanding that, I am deeply concerned that this will be used in the forthcoming Assembly elections and we must address that. I would like to hear from our friends across the Border about how best to calm the jets. I expect we will have an inquiry in due course about how that decision was reached but there would be more consultation before reaching a decision in a local gardening or bowling club than that engaged in by the European Commission.

It seems that the Irish Commissioner was out of the loop. A member state, the Republic of Ireland, was not consulted. That will mend in due course and we will learn from the mistakes, but how do we take the steam out of it? How do we reach out? My fear is that it will be like years ago where an issue would become a hot potato in an upcoming Assembly election. I have a vested interest. I love moderate voices such as those of the Green Party in Northern Ireland and of the Alliance Party. With no disrespect to the bigger parties, I feel that a voice of moderation in the middle is the future and I feel those voices will be squeezed if an election is dominated - I will not use the word "hijacked" - by the protocol issue.

I respectfully agree to disagree with what Ms Anderson said about "the best of both worlds". I know from where my colleagues in Northern Ireland are coming when they say that they want a shared island but accepting the Brexit we have, although our guests might not be jumping up and down about it, it is as good as was feasible or could be expected as the best of both worlds. Perhaps the solution is if the people of Northern Ireland could benefit financially and culturally from the best of both worlds through something like the Erasmus scheme. Is that how we can take the steam and sting out of these matters? Like other speakers, I am concerned that this issue could get out of control in the medium term unless we reset things.

It is fortunate that, largely speaking, our guests are talking to a converted audience. We have representatives of the SDLP and Sinn Féin from Northern Ireland in this meeting. How do we get through this and get us back on track? The solution I referred to a moment ago is one suggestion I have for the people of Northern Ireland. No one wanted Brexit and I know it is not the best of both worlds that our guests wanted, but we are where we are and in that difficult circumstance with their backs against the wall, I feel it was perhaps the best that could be achieved although no one wanted it to happen. I would love to hear a constructive and concrete strategy in due course to take the tension out of the air in both the short and medium term. The last thing we want is for this to be the number one issue in an Assembly election that should be about health and a more normalised society. Perhaps we should be aiming towards a border poll at the right moment when the tension is out of the air and people can make that democratic decision. How do the experienced politicians at this meeting think we can take the temperature out of things?