Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----one should be allowed to ask one's parliamentary questions if other people eat up the time. I am really worried on a number of fronts. I am worried that Northern Ireland is not properly represented in respect of the ongoing Brexit talks now they have formally started. I do not believe the people of Northern Ireland will be adequately represented by the Theresa May Government, no more than will be the people of, or the implications for, the whole island of Ireland. I am also worried - I know we will hear protests about this - that there is at least a strong prevailing view within both the largest parties in Northern Ireland that another election might actually be in their interests. I would be interested in the Taoiseach's view on this. In the case of Sinn Féin, it may well become the largest party.

For the DUP, bluntly, there could hardly be a worse election than the last one and those from that party might be able to cannibalise UUP votes. It is concerning if this is driving the lack of progress that seems to have materialised in the past five and a half weeks.

What additional initiative will the Taoiseach take to ensure that no stone is left unturned to try to end the current impasse before we are plunged into another set of elections? I do not believe that in the aftermath of another divisive political campaign, anything will be resolved other than a deeper entrenchment of fixed views. Is there anything further the Taoiseach can do? Perhaps Deputy McDonald is right. Could the Taoiseach sit down with the British Prime Minister to and make the case that this is sufficiently important to warrant a joint initiative?

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