Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I take it that all three questions are being followed up together. When we took the previous group of questions, the Taoiseach was allowed to respond separately to each Deputy's supplementary questions.

I take a different view from that of my Sinn Féin colleague. I commend the Taoiseach on the work he has done on Brexit. We all have views on what could have been done differently. I believe we will miss the extraordinary level of experience and, more importantly, real personal contact at the highest levels of government across the EU that the Taoiseach has brought to this State's negotiating capacity and its influence. The Taoiseach might have a view on that. Does he see any role for himself when he stands down as Taoiseach? Maybe that will be a matter for his successor. Having worked for several years with most of those who will be the key decision-makers as the negotiations unfold, the Taoiseach has a capacity to know their thinking. What role does he see for himself in that regard? I presume he will make himself available in the interests of the State to hold onto those contacts. Perhaps this will be as an ambassador who brokers deals and talks to people to make sure the Irish point of view is heard, if not as a Minister with Brexit responsibility.

Like others, I have been listening in great detail to some of the rhetoric and all of the discussion during the current UK election campaign. I find it very worrying. There is an extraordinary lack of detail on any level about how this is going to unfold. There is an extraordinary confidence that somehow it is going to work out right. This is in the absence of any knowledge of what the endgame - the desirable conclusion - should be. The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has been repeating the mantra that no deal is better than a bad deal. Bluntly, no deal would be a catastrophe for this country and for her country. We need to ensure our views and analyses continue to be heard strongly within the UK and EU negotiating teams.

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