Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Yes. On plan B, I do not wish to reiterate what I have said many times and what many others have said. However, we are very much focused on plan A, namely, the current negotiations. Then all of us in all our member parties and, indeed, in the diplomatic world, the business world and so forth will see how best to engage in the debate in the UK.

A disproportionately large number of people who live in Great Britain, as opposed to Northern Ireland, have either an Irish parent or grandparent. Moreover, there is a significant level of Irish commercial membership of boards in the United Kingdom. Consequently, we will have some role to play in the referendum in the United Kingdom. However, members should recall how other countries becoming involved in our referendums - on either side of the argument - went down. This is a matter for the United Kingdom. I refer to the reason a plan B would be so hard were there to be a vote to leave. There would then begin a lengthy process of deliberation as to the terms under which the United Kingdom might stay. It would be very much in the interests of Ireland to be engaged in that process, as we certainly would not wish to be disadvantaged in any way but, then again, neither would other member states. Work is ongoing in the Department of the Taoiseach to consider various potential outcomes. At this point, however, the focus must be to ensure that two objectives are met from the current process. The first of these involves reaching an agreement the United Kingdom is satisfied fulfils its desires and ambitions. From Ireland's perspective, the second objective, which is shared by the other 26 member states, is that such an agreement would not in any way disadvantage our citizens or undermine any of the core principles that have allowed the European Union to travel so far in recent decades.