Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Irwin briefed the finance committee on what Revenue was doing. I am now briefing the Deputy in the House on the policy position on the political side. There is no contradiction between the two. The Deputy knows quite well that I do not decide on what is released in responding to freedom of information requests. There are independent officers who make these decisions without me even knowing what documents are being released or that their release has been refused. I am not amenable to answering questions on freedom of information issues. That is not a matter for me. If the Brexit policy of the United Kingdom is continued to its conclusion, there will be an international boundary between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the island of Ireland. It will not just be a bilateral matter between us and the United Kingdom. The Revenue Commissioners, as described yesterday at the committee, are using their independent mandate and especially their responsibility for customs issues, to scope the different possibilities in order to contribute to a solution in the event that the negotiations go differently to the political and policy position of the Government.

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