Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As we speak, the British Prime Minister is flying to Berlin to persuade Angela Merkel not to dismiss out of hand what we expect to emerge from the discussion of the British Cabinet tomorrow, which is a hybrid of the two previous ideas - an emphasis on non-existent new technology and some aspects of a customs partnership.

Let us be clear. The bulletproof arrangement that we understood to be in place since last December is not there. The Austrian Prime Minister has announced a pre-October summit to be held in September on the issue of migration because that is the theme of his Presidency. Will the Tánaiste use his good offices to ensure the issue of the Irish Border is included in the September special Council so we do not face into October in a perilous situation?

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