Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We made the point to them about the very frequent visits of our diplomatic service and a group led by the Ceann Comhairle and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to various locations to talk to ambassadors and the President of Egypt with whom I have had two or three conversations about Ibrahim Halawa. Deputy Adams is well aware of the background to this. Ibrahim Halawa is the only Irish national in prison and we want him to be released. A statement was issued following his meeting with an all-party group. I hope it can be brought to a conclusion fairly quickly. Hopefully, the President will use his pardon. I wish the court case would be held so that a decision could be made and Ibrahim Halawa could then be released home to his family and country.

The sectoral meetings have been a big advantage and a big help. Everything from transport to logistics to social welfare to pensions to hospitality was covered. I have no objection to having sectoral meetings in Northern Ireland after 2 March. The people of Northern Ireland will have made their choice then and I hope an Assembly and a working Executive can be put together. It is important that people, irrespective of their political differences, would focus on the future. Brexit will be a hell of a campaign in terms of negotiations.

Deputy Howlin raised the point about qualified majority voting, which is an issue. There are a number of small countries that are also affected, including the Netherlands and Denmark. They are concerned that qualified majority voting could be an issue if the case is not made well. This is why we are talking to all the leaders individually and that is why the Ministers are doing their business. It is so that everybody is aware of the impact on a country like Ireland. It has been pointed out by most of the economic reports that we will be the most adversely affected of any country.

I hope nobody is looking for sites along the Border. I have seen reports drafted by customs officials but I have an agreement with the British Government that there will be no return to the Border of the past and that means customs posts along the Border. This is a British policy. It is not a technological issue. This is a political challenge. We do not want to see that happen because Deputy Adams knows the implications of that very well. We will not stand for any return to the Border of the past. We will make that case very strongly and clearly. Nobody I have met North or South wants to a return to that.

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