Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to appear before the committee today. I have no doubt he will get a sense from this meeting that this conversation will not finish today. There is an appetite among committee members to ensure we get accountability and transparency. I believe that no single person made a decision of such magnitude and impact. My belief is that a group of individuals came together and that people in the Commission know their identity. For us to have confidence in the Commission into the future, it is imperative that we find out who made this decision of such magnitude because it had consequences. For every action there is a reaction. We only have to think of the time, effort and diligence invested in this by officials in the Commission such as Michel Barnier and his team and the individual countries throughout the European Union which knew of the sensitivity of the Northern Ireland peace process and went out of their way to send ambassadors here. I met the Danish and the Dutch ambassadors in my county. Many other ambassadors went to County Louth and different parts of the Border region over the past four and half years to get a sense of the situation. Individual countries of the European Union understand the importance of the peace process and protecting it. However, this decision, which was made very quickly by a group of individuals on a Friday evening, had drastic consequences that could have had a deeper impact on Northern Ireland. It was a very serious decision. It is very important that we as a nation have confidence in the European Union and have a Commission that is accountable. It cannot be a powerful entity where individuals can be protected. The message in that regard is strong. The Minister of State need not address that again as he covered it to the best of his knowledge.

The Minister of State may not have an answer to this specific question. What assurances can he give that the protocols around strict veterinary distribution practices employed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are replicated in Northern Ireland? I have a concern that protocols similar to the very strict regime we have in place, through the Department, for ensuring traceability and quality of produce are not replicated in Northern Ireland. The Minister of State might ask his officials to follow up on that and revert directly to my officials in this committee.

I thank members.

Ba mhaith liom m'aitheantas agus mo bhuíochas a ghabháil chuig an Aire Stáit fá choinne na díospóireachta inniu. B'fhéidir go mbeidh cúpla focal sa bhreis aige.