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

For the past six years we have been told relations with the British Government have been excellent, yet every bilateral issue falls into neglect or some form of crisis. It is fair to say that previous to 2011 it would have been inconceivable that any Taoiseach or Prime Minister of any party would have taken such a hands off approach to the vital issues, particularly on the Good Friday Agreement and the institutions contained in the Agreement, and particularly the institutional crisis in Northern Ireland where there has been drift for a number of years, culminating in what I genuinely believe was the contrived collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive and assembly, notwithstanding the greatest crisis that faces the North and the island of Ireland, which happens to be Brexit. If we are to devise any credible approach in terms of a special economic zone, or reflect the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland in any Brexit solution, then it has to involve a devolved administration, legislature and Executive, through which a special economic zone or something similar could be achieved while respecting the constitutional status of the United Kingdom as contained in the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Féin and the DUP have not worked this out. On the rights issue, it seems a majority in the assembly is now in favour of marriage equality, for example, so if the assembly came back it is quite plausible there would be a vote in favour of marriage equality. Not having it back is a delay to getting marriage equality through. I do not believe there is any huge resistance now to an Irish language Act.

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