Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy McDonald was right when she said that there is no single view in respect of whether the United Kingdom should have stayed in the European Union. However, there is surely a commonality of interest in respect of what is good for the people of Northern Ireland and the people of the island of Ireland as a whole such that we can build a consensus view.

Unfortunately, there is nobody at the table with the authority to speak for Northern Ireland as long as there is no Executive. That is the issue.

I know that Sinn Féin representatives have a view that none of us can speak with authority on Northern Ireland, only themselves. I believe that is a partitionist view and a wrong view. Sinn Féin should not shout down people and ask who people represent and all the rest of it. All of us with an interest in this island and the peoples of this island have something to say. We should be respected and at least listened to when we say that.

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