Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I get to the question, the Taoiseach should note that the number of questions which are being transferred from his Department and seeking to be disqualified is at a historic high. That is something that the reform committee might look at.

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. Given his more fundamental personnel changes over the last week, he clearly was not happy with the team that was managing Brexit because there can be no other explanation as to why he removed the two principal Ministers who have been talking to our European colleagues since Brexit began. The former Minister of State with responsibility for Europe said that the Taoiseach told him he was being removed because he supported the wrong candidate in the leadership election. The Government press secretary has briefed that this is not the case. According to him the Taoiseach based all his decisions purely on merit. Having decided to replace the whole Brexit team in one stroke, can the Taoiseach now explain the new direction he proposes for these negotiations? Can he also indicate if he considers it worrying that it is only now that the issue of the economic dimension of Brexit is being seriously examined by his Department? I find that astonishing. We have had some work from the ESRI. Trade is at the heart of Brexit. It should be the top issue because it determines everything else in Northern Ireland in terms of the Border and so on. There has been an absence of analysis on the concrete, harsh reality of the potential damage from Brexit can have on the Irish economy in different sectors. The absence of such a detailed, profound analysis weakens our presentation of the issues to Europe, and particularly weakens the prospect that we will be in a position to provide solutions to Europe, to say that this is how we think it can resolve the undoubtedly difficult issues that will face many sectors of our economy as a result of Brexit. It is very worrying that focus on this has been absent over the last 18 months.

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