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

If there is to be any form of special status for Northern Ireland, Dublin will have to propose it, especially in the absence of working institutions in the North. It is unacceptable that such a long period has passed without any Executive or assembly in the North given the urgency of the Brexit debate. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said last week that we are in favour of a special status and, without deflecting that by talking about the UK staying in the European Union, will the Taoiseach say whether seeking special status is official Government policy? Nothing has been published so far outlining any proposals on this. My understanding is that models such as a cross-Border special economic zone have received official attention. Will the Taoiseach confirm that? Will he explain how much work is being carried out on this? Have any external experts been commissioned to advise on models of special status which could be pursued?

The Taoiseach said he thought the talks got off to a good start. I would have to qualify that. The proposal for a partial offer of long-term security to EU citizens in the United Kingdom is a poor start. The answer is simple. Both sides should agree to recognise the full rights in place today for UK citizens in Europe and vice versa. Negotiations can deal with the rights of new migrants, but it is disgraceful that there is ongoing uncertainty about the treatment of millions of people who are now bargaining chips in a negotiation that has not got off to a great start. There are 130-odd individual treaties that have to be renegotiated. We are still stuck on this issue which in some respects should be easier to resolve than the other issues.

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