Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have lived all my life in the constituency of Louth in a community that suffered the fallout from the Troubles yet benefitted greatly from our membership of the EU. It was only with peace and EU investment that our region came out of the shadow and began to thrive. That process ensured an invisibility in our Border. It would be a regressive and retrograde step should any damage be caused to either the fragile peace achieved to date or the economic progress that has accrued to our island as a result of our EU membership and, in particular, in the context of Brexit. Fianna Fáil has made substantial amendments to this Sinn Féin motion. However, it is the interests of all the people of this island, North and South, that our main objective is to ensure that we do all that we can to highlight the unique and special circumstances of Northern Ireland and the need for this to be a central tenet in the final Brexit agreement.

However, EU customs and trade lawyers have stated special EU customs rules for the Border between the Republic and Northern Ireland are unlikely. As stated by a Sinn Féin Deputy, a report in today’s Irish Examiner by the political editor, Daniel O’Connell, states that he can reveal that the Government is preparing for the return of a hard Border in the wake of Brexit, including the return of full red and green channel checkpoints. It has been revealed that Revenue Commissioner officials have been engaged to examine locations for full Border check points with red and green channel facilities in counties Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim and Donegal.

The M1 motorway, which passes through my own constituency, is of considerable focus. I have seen this myself and witnessed last Monday for the third time the Ml motorway closed going south. I have seen cars being impounded and checked and I do not believe this to be normal process of various State agencies. All this is in stark contrast to what the Government has been saying over and over again since the referendum, which is that there would be no return to a hard border.

We are calling for the Government to make the case for and secure a special status for Northern Ireland and to ensure the right of citizens of Northern Ireland to avail of Irish citizenship and, by consequence, EU citizenship is retained. As stated by Deputy Donnelly, this also applies to the maintaining of PEACE and INTERREG funding, which is crucial both North and South in terms of how we do business and improve our region. The peace process in Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement which underpins it cannot be compromised, including no dilution of human rights. This has been pivotal in encouraging joint co-operation in our educational institutions, local authorities working collaboratively North and South, peace groups of all persuasions and none, and sporting organisations, to name but a few.

There have been many excellent organisations and initiatives that followed from the Good Friday Agreement, including the Ballyconnell agreement and Co-operation And Working Together, CAWT, which facilitates cross-Border collaborative working in health and social care. We need to be informed not just at the macro level but, more importantly, about the ramifications at the farm gate and the village store, for educational institutions and on cross-Border health care and on so many other areas that affect our daily lives. It is for this reason that we need a complete analysis and audit of the various sectors impacts on the sectors right across Government. Manufacturers will have to consider whether it is still economically feasible to move several times goods for processing, as alluded to earlier, across the Border. Surely we can agree an all-Ireland brand that will promote the agrisector, North and South, to the wider world and that the EU would recognise this.

It is my belief that non-contentious issues such as tourism promotion on an all-Ireland basis together with ensuring security in our energy requirement should be part of any negotiations. If the building of it is not lost to our communities, the Narrow Water Bridge would be symbolic and help tourism. While not wishing to dilute the economic challenges facing this island, I believe that peace and prosperity will drive our economy.

Now, more than ever, we must continue dialogue - north, south, east and west - to ensure our island nation prospers. The will of the people of Northern Ireland, the majority of whom voted to remain in the European Union, must be reflected in the final agreement. Imposing the full impact of a hard Brexit on Northern Ireland or this island would be unacceptable.

See this speech in context