Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is clear the British Government does not appear to have a real overall plan for Brexit, a point acknowledged by the Taoiseach. From all the reports coming out of Westminster, the British Government is struggling to manage the scale of work generated by the Brexit process. There is also a huge amount of work to be undertaken by the Irish Government.

This includes engaging with other EU governments and the Executive and people in the North on the dialogue that is required. Very specifically, does the Government anticipate putting together a strategy and hiring additional staff to deal with these responsibilities? There is a very important element to this. Does the Government accept that the priority has to be actively promoting and defending the rights of those citizens in the North who voted to remain? This cannot just be set to one side. I acknowledge there are diplomatic issues. The North remains part of the British State but our responsibility is to the people of our own island . As I have said many times, we need to have an all-island vision and view

Why do I raise this? I raise it to ask what the arrangement is for based on the Government's outreach initiatives and any diplomatic offensives. Is it to be specific to the Twenty-six Counties? Alternatively, is the objective to obtain some special status for the North outside the European Union? That is a totally different animal than looking for specific, designated special status for the North inside the European Union. Has the Government examined other models that have accommodated this kind of thinking? All of us have said Brexit is the greatest challenge facing the island of Ireland for many decades.

Let me come back to the point that the people of the North voted to remain. That is their position and it should be ours, notwithstanding the diplomatic niceties in this regard.

We will give the Government a paper. I have just signed off on a paper. Our national officer board dealt with it. It outlines some strategic objectives regarding where we engage on this issue. It also points a way towards getting special designated status for the North within the European Union. I will send the document in due course to Teachtaí Dála and Seanadóirí.

That is the import of my question. As we face this big challenge, do we have the proper resources? Has the Government clearly made up its mind on whether we are seeking special status outside or inside the Union as part of our all-island vision?

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