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1 o’clock

No institution or politician has a monopoly on imagination or flexibility. What we need in Ireland is a coalition of the willing, North and South, including all aspects of civil society and all economic interests, to try to ensure the implementation of Brexit is done in a manner which is least harmful to all the people of Ireland, North and South, over the next few years. We in the Senate are conducting an examination of these issues. We think the common travel area will survive and is no threat to general principles of European law such as freedom of movement but there are other issues, as Mr. Barnier mentioned. There is a need to have, as far as possible, free trade in goods with Britain, as a close partner of the EU after its exit, as well as the need to have, as far as possible, the free movement of goods on this island and between these islands.

I draw to the attention of Mr. Barnier that prior to the reunification of Germany, East Germany was given a special status for the export of goods to West Germany. It was regarded as inside the customs union in the days of the European Economic Community. That is the kind of flexible arrangement we should aspire to if we can. It has been suggested, in particular by Deputy Adams here today, that Northern Ireland should effectively remain within the European Union. It is not a practical possibility but there is a great opening to explore special status for the island of Ireland and its two parts without going that far. I agree with the Taoiseach that we do not need a Border poll now as part of the process of sorting out where Ireland should be in the short or medium term. I agree with Deputy Martin very strongly that the all-Ireland institutions contemplated by the Good Friday Agreement provide a framework, for instance, for a new agrifood dispensation on this island and a new cross-Border body to deal with all of those kinds of things. I will finish on that note.

Mr. Barnier has said there is a need for flexible and imaginative institutions. The Irish people have to play their part in developing those responses to Mr. Barnier's challenge.

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