Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister of State the best of luck in the EU meetings on Thursday and Friday. The agreement that has been negotiated is a result of the united front the Government has been able to provide in its negotiating stance. That is in contrast to the obvious divisions within the Government of the United Kingdom, which have been illustrated by a solemnly negotiated report and agreement being almost immediately disparaged by that Government. That shows very poor political judgment on its part and that it does not have a coherent Brexit policy. The UK Government is in disarray on Brexit. It is very important that we maintain a unified front. The trustworthiness of the British Government has been called into question by remarks made by senior figures in recent days but we must nevertheless maintain a unified front. The British Government is trying to act tough in advance of phase 2 of the exit negotiations and realises how difficult it will be for it and that Brexit is not in its best interests. The enormity and impracticality of the task it faces are coming to the fore. Losing all advantages of European Union membership to be replaced by the uncharted waters of trading arrangements with third parties and trying to forge new trading arrangements with the EU will be very difficult. What occurred in phase 1 has crystallised for the British Government the difficulties it faces in respect of Brexit. It is very important that we have played an important part in bringing about that crystallisation. It was very positive that the Irish question was part of phase 1 because it has crystallised people's thinking on both sides. It will eventually dawn on the British Government that membership of the EU, far from being contrary to its national interest, is complementary to it. Staying within the common trade area and the customs union is far more likely now that it has had to face the reality of dealing with what will happen in Northern Ireland. It is also critically important that an Assembly and Executive be reinstated in Northern Ireland in order that people there have a forum to debate their future in Europe and how they see their future being aligned with the United Kingdom and with the Republic.

The agreement states that the Good Friday Agreement will be upheld, there will be no hard border and that Northern Ireland remains an integral part of the United Kingdom and the UK internal market. That is crystallised in paragraphs 49 and 50, where North-South and east-west relations are identified. There is a core contradiction. The United Kingdom remains committed to protecting North-South co-operation and guarantees to avoid a hard border and intends to achieve those objectives through an overall EU-UK relationship. However, that is difficult to reconcile with the fact that Northern Ireland will remain an integral part of the United Kingdom. How can that be reconciled with no hard border and maintaining full alignment between North and South? That is the core contradiction that must be resolved in phase 2 of the negotiations. It is very important that the principles that have been agreed are incorporated into the final agreement. It is imperative that we maintain our stance and are not in any way distracted by negotiations in phase 2. We have to be to the fore of the negotiations and must keep North-South alignment to the fore.

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