Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I always find it amusing to listen to lectures from Deputy Martin on consistency. Consistency is hardly his middle name with regard to issues throughout his career.

I spent the past couple of days attending the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I used that opportunity to talk to many of its members on this issue, which was useful in that one was hearing both sides of the debate. One point which came out in the discussions, both from those who were pro-Brexit and anti-Brexit, was that the opinion polls are not necessarily reflecting what the actual vote will be, with a strong possibility of the vote going for a Brexit. Those who favour the Brexit have some idea they will get some sort of favourable agreement. I do not know from where they are getting this idea but there is almost an arrogance that this is a right which will naturally flow in their favour post Brexit. We know it will impact on trade; it has already impacted on sterling and on investment. Some of it is down to a Johnny Foreigner attitude and the red top newspapers. However, among many of the electorate in Britain, there is a genuine disaffection, dissatisfaction and disagreement with many of the things coming out of the EU.

The referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU will likely have significant ramifications for people on this island. In my role as Sinn Féin's spokesperson on foreign affairs, as well as a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I have raised my concerns on a possible Brexit many times. Accordingly, I welcome this opportunity to debate and discuss the issue here today.

The EU affairs committee published a report on some of the ramifications of a Brexit. The reported detailed that the view of the committee was that the Irish Government had a role to play in voicing its opinion, in particular to the Irish community in Britain and to British citizens in Ireland, on the impact a Brexit would have on Ireland. I welcome that the Irish Government has undertaken this work and I note the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan's visits to Britain recently.

Britain is one of Ireland’s major trading partners, while Ireland is Britain’s fifth largest trading partner. A potential Brexit would be damaging for the economy of this State. Figures for Irish citizens living in Britain are estimated to be approximately 400,000, an important voting bloc. I hope these Irish citizens will vote against a Brexit. Another of the EU affairs committee report’s recommendations was that the Irish Government has a voice on the future of the North which it must use and ensure features in the Brexit debate. I do not think this has happened as much as it could have, however.

A Brexit would have a disastrous effect on cross-Border trade and the all-island economy. Ireland is the only EU member state to share a land border with the British jurisdiction. The free movement of people and goods across the Border is significantly important for the North and for Border counties. A Brexit would mean this would now be an external EU border, which could see the introduction of custom posts and border controls between Irish counties. I note the statement by the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, that this would not be a fact but there are still concerns about this. The implications of this would be very significant for the all-island economy, altering natural trade and investment patterns. It would also impact negatively on citizens, particularly those living in the Border region.

Additionally, a Brexit would be significantly damaging for the Northern economy, for small businesses, for the volunteer and community sector, and for peace and reconciliation projects. The EU provides important funding for peace projects. It has assisted in the formation of North-South implementation bodies, while the special EU programme to administer INTERREG and PEACE funding is vitally important. Other funding from the EU has concentrated on cross-Border initiatives, which have led to some positive social and political outcomes in small cross-Border communities. If one looks at the record of the Tories in Government in Britain with regard to the North, it is clear they will not be rushing to replace any of this vital funding.

The current Tory Government is continuing with its plans to repeal the Human Rights Act, which essentially signs Britain up to the European Convention on Human Rights and is an integral part of the Good Friday Agreement. It is clear the Tory Government would have no appetite to fund these important groups, some of which are legally challenging the British Government over its role in the conflict and its human rights violations.

The British Government has refused Sinn Féin's demands that a separate and binding referendum be run in the North. Should a vote to leave the EU occur, Sinn Féin is calling on the British Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, to commit to holding a Border poll. If there is a vote in Britain to leave the EU, there is a democratic imperative to provide Irish citizens with the right to vote in a Border poll to end partition and retain a role in the EU. The people of Scotland probably hold a similar view. I am calling on all Members of this House to support the call for a Border poll provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.

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