Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Paul Murphy raised a question about Article 50. It is only 18 weeks to the end of March. I would not want anybody to be complacent and wait until the last few days in March expecting that only then will the Prime Minister decide to trigger Article 50. When I made that comment at the civic forum, what I had in mind was that we have no time to waste and that we should be looking at what we must discuss and get ready for. At the time, it was the Prime Minister's right or it was assumed to be her right to trigger Article 50 whenever she thought it appropriate. As that could be any time from December through to January or February, it might not be at the end of the March. The UK High Court has made its ruling on the basis that only Parliament has the authority to trigger Article 50, which is the legal route out of the European Union for the United Kingdom and that this precludes the invoking of Article 50 by the Prime Minister or the Government under the royal prerogative, which gives it sole authority over foreign policy and the making and unmaking of treaties. The High Court ruled that the European Communities Act 1972, which gives effect to the United Kingdom's EU membership, is a matter of domestic law and not foreign policy. Everybody is aware that the British Government intends to appeal that ruling to the UK Supreme Court. Arrangements have been made for that to happen in December. I do not know what the outcome of that will be and whether the Supreme Court will support the High Court or come to a different decision. I cannot say at this stage whether it will upset the timescale set out by the Prime Minister. She contends that Article 50 will still be triggered by the end of March 2017.

Deputy Gerry Adams mentioned the fact that the Unionist parties did not participate in the civic forum. I met Mike Nesbitt, MLA, in Stormont and hope to meet the First Minister, Arlene Foster, MLA, on Sunday in Enniskillen before the meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council on 18 November. I am sure everybody is listening to this debate. I thought that the ESRI report on a Norway or Swiss-style operation or a WTO arrangement spoke for itself in that if the Government was to do nothing, the implications would be very serious. The Government will do what it can. Our priorities remain the economy, jobs, the situation in Northern Ireland, the peace process, Border and citizenship issues, the common travel area and so on.

In response to Deputy Gerry Adams, it will be important to move some of the sectoral and thematic issues out from Dublin.

As the Deputy knows, I was in Carlingford, Blackrock, Dundalk and Newry recently. At one of the meetings of the Brexit conference yesterday, we agreed to go to Newry for the next thematic session which will involve education and research. We will set out a timetable throughout the country, North and South, for those thematic issues. We will have a further plenary session early in the new year. I have been invited by the Newry Junior Chamber and the Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade to go back to Newry and I intend to take up that opportunity. I have made the point that the Government will continue its co-guarantorship requirement in respect of the Good Friday Agreement. I understand that has been reiterated by different British Ministers.

Deputy Micheál Martin is right. We discussed a number of sectoral areas, including energy, the agrifood sector, hospitality, education and research, water, and human rights. Following yesterday's meeting of the Brexit committee, all these themes and sectors will be outlined and we will decide where they should be held around the country and in the North, followed by a plenary session afterwards.

I made the point about the Brexit committee. I have had to deal with questions about whether to appoint a Minister for this or a Minister for that. This is a national challenge for everybody. For that reason I recall back in 1969 when Jack Lynch - God rest him - was standing here, they had several options about how to deal with the challenge then. In this case it is about Ireland, the people, the economy and our future. It should be led by the Taoiseach, the Department of the Taoiseach with everybody involved. Let us figure out a way here of having everybody discuss here. We could devote an hour and a half or two hours every week to Brexit; I do not mind. We could set up an Oireachtas committee to deal with it. It is appropriate that the party leaders should be briefed regularly. If they require information individually it should and will be given to them because they each need to be able to talk to their people in Brussels. In that sense these things are important.

What we know is as follows. First, Article 50 will be triggered by the end of March.

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