Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Obviously the talks in Northern Ireland between Sinn Féin and the DUP are deadlocked. In those circumstances it would appear that the DUP wants direct rule whereas the Irish Government and Sinn Féin are talking about the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference reconvening. It is a serious situation and we need fresh thinking. We must break this impasse in some way. Would a third party intermediary be helpful, such as a US envoy as is being speculated in the media? Perhaps the Taoiseach would respond to that. We are approaching the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. It cannot be allowed to collapse. It is a comprehensive document and many of its aspects have not been implemented yet.

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply on the British-Irish Council. It is due to meet again on 21 and 22 June. That is very important to bring about collaboration in the areas of transport, environment and energy. It will become increasingly important in the context of the UK leaving the European Union. The Government must be fully committed to it. With regard to Brexit and the draft legal text which is due to be published tomorrow, all eyes in the Republic will be on the backstop arrangement whereby there will be no hard border on this island. I listened to the Taoiseach speaking on this earlier this afternoon, but we need to know where we go from here. Presumably the draft to be published tomorrow has to be agreed by the European Council and, more particularly, the UK Government. Can the Taoiseach outline the roadmap following the publication of the draft text tomorrow? Does he envisage much trouble with the UK agreeing to the draft legal text, particularly having regard to the role of the DUP in UK politics at this time?

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