Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am a bit concerned about the strength Ireland will have at the end of this. Yesterday, and in responses earlier today, the Taoiseach spoke about every country having a veto but every country does not have a veto once we have accepted the negotiating mandate, which would have to be by unanimous decision of the Council. Once the negotiating mandate has been given and the negotiator, in this case is Mr. Michel Barnier who has been appointed, under the treaty the final agreement comes back to the Council. The negotiated agreement must be adopted by a qualified majority of 72% of the remaining 27 member states, representing 65% of the population. It is under three quarters of the member states, representing almost two thirds of the population of the member states that will carry the day. No individual country has a veto. So it is not true to say, necessarily, that at the end of the day Ireland can say "No". We need to make sure we get the deal well in advanced of being faced with a very difficult situation at the end.

I take the Taoiseach's point that it would be a hollow right to veto the deal as all that could be vetoed at that stage would be whatever is negotiated. The exit is already determined and it would simply otherwise be an exit on no terms, and I presume with respect to trade it would be the World Trade Organization terms that would be used. We need to do the work now and not have any notion that at the end of the day we are going to have any big stick to veto any final agreement. Legally, we do not have that and even if we did it would be a hollow victory to exercise it.

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