Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I want to come in on that. It is a particular matter that I want to address. One thing I will put to the witnesses upfront is that they will continue to have the support of this committee, the Irish Government and everybody else. It is really important to recognise, however, that we are probably entering a very different phase of thinking by the European Union. What is happening is very welcome as to where the British Government will hopefully, in comparison with the previous Government, position itself. As regards one of the bigger problems we have to take on board, it is a matter of how we can work together collectively in our own country, but this is a Commission-UK issue. Deputy Howlin alluded to this earlier. As to where Europe is moving and what its thinking is, which is very much on the other side of Europe and relates to accession, security and so on, it is reshaping, though, the way in which it will approach discussions it has with the UK and so on. It is the impact, as the EU will feel it, for other discussions with other countries in other ways that will shape its thinking.

Dynamic alignment is particularly important. As we have all talked about here, there are two things involved. The first is that Europe is built on regulations and the second is that, as Mr. Lynam correctly said in his opening statement, there is definitely an attitude within the Commission, and Mr. Šefovi is a very progressive person in that regard, but even he would hold that if you are not a member of the club and you chose to leave the club, you cannot then turn around and say you want the full benefits of the club. If that were to be conceded by Europe, the problem for the latter would then be why anybody else should join the club or why the existing players should stay in if they can have everything they want. That is at the crux of it, and we will get caught up in that. It will be a more difficult argument in terms of the veterinary agreement than we probably realise, although I am sure the witnesses are at the coalface of this do realise that. However, that will be a major problem. I agree that the complications and consequences for Ireland of it going wrong will be pretty staggering.