Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our distinguished guests. In the fullness of time, history will judge the fall-out from and assess Brexit. While we did not wish for Brexit, would it be widely accepted that an unintended consequence of Brexit is to strengthen the case for Scottish independence, as I believe it does for reunification of this island? Maybe we should not waste an opportunity to move forward that agenda for somebody who advocates Scottish independence.

The best of both worlds includes access to the Single Market and the internal market. I believe that is a way forward, through the teething process. Would it be true to say that Scotland would be envious of the best of both worlds and the protocol and that it would like something similar? Is the only reason Northern Ireland secured that not that it was a recognition of a vote in what unionists might regard as a region of a country, but rather that it was underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement, which Scotland cannot rely on? Are the witnesses still actively seeking it as an interim protocol arrangement? I am interested in preparations for EU membership for post-independence Scotland. Are the witnesses doing anything to comply voluntarily with EU regulations so that they are ahead of the field on flora, fauna and habitats directives? That would be smart.

I would like to see them win the referendum this time, as I would like to see it won in Ireland. Despite passionately wanting to see that, I am realistic about it. Have the witnesses more than token representation in London this time? I am not saying that Scotland should receive dominion status. This applies equally for our brothers and sisters in Northern Ireland. Should we not have a beefed-up infrastructure from east to west, with a gathering of our friends in all these countries? That might win over, and allay the fears of, people of a unionist bent in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Being a realist, I know the procedure required for a referendum on this island. Can the Prime Minister not stymie the witnesses in proceeding with that referendum? If they go ahead without the Prime Minister'simprimatur, will it be regarded as an invalid referendum? He does not seem to wish to have it any time soon, although reference has been made today to 2023. I wish the witnesses well in that regard. How do they overcome the current Prime Minister's lack of enthusiasm, to put it mildly, about holding a referendum for Scotland? It is fantastic that the witnesses are here and we look forward to closer relations with our Celtic cousins.