Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join others in commending the Taoiseach for facilitating the first "open mic" for all the different stakeholders who feel this momentous decision by the United Kingdom will impact on them. I stayed for the full debate because I thought it was most important. I agree with the Taoiseach that the impact of Brexit is probably the most serious issue we will face as a nation in our lifetime. It will certainly be as challenging as the economic disaster we battled our way through for the past few years.

In respect of the first question on the Order Paper today, it is and has been important to allow all the social and economic actors in this State to have a voice and we need to continue to do this. Fundamentally, we need a united clear voice in this House. I am not reassured by the notion that the Taoiseach will be amenable to answer normal Leaders' Questions or take Topical Issues or anything else. We need a structure. We need some way in which the negotiating position of the 27 member states is impacted by the best interests of the people of this island, North and South, because as other speakers have said, nobody will be impacted as much as the people on this island. I do not expect the Taoiseach to give me an answer now, but I ask him to reflect on how the Oireachtas can move into a different forum to ensure we deal with the issues of substance about which Deputy Micheál Martin spoke. We can all identify the challenges but we must scope out the best solutions and influence the negotiating position of the United Kingdom in the first instance. One of the things that struck me in the debate at the forum was the notion that we would wait until negotiations start and somehow have a tripartite discussion involving the 26 member states, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It will not be like that. It will be the United Kingdom with a set-out position and the European Commission negotiating for the 27 member states; therefore, we need to influence the opening positions of both the United Kingdom and the 27 member states before Article 50 is triggered. I ask the Taoiseach to give serious consideration as to how we can as an Oireachtas deal with that issue.

Deputy Gerry Adams asked whether there have been any specific briefings relating to the judgement of the UK High Court. One issue many of us have talked about is the possibility that at the end of negotiation period of two or three years, the people of the United Kingdom will have the chance to vote again. Implicit in the judgement was that once Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty is triggered, it is irrevocable. Without treaty change, there is no comeback from this. That is a fundamental issue. Does the Taoiseach have legal advices that this is the position or will it ultimately be a determination of the European Court of Justice?

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