Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will conclude by reiterating a couple of points and by trying to address the many points raised by many of the Deputies. Time is running short. We have all agreed on that and acknowledged it. The efforts in the negotiations will, however, be redoubled and intensified in the coming weeks. We need to see the successful completion of negotiations by the end of the period. The October deadline has not changed. The only way that there will be a November summit or an extraordinary meeting is if we have something to meet about. Therefore, if we meet again in October with nothing new on the table, there will be no point to meeting. Therefore, the October deadline is still in place for us and extremely important. To use Deputy Michael Healy-Rae's analogy of ploughing and focusing one's sight on a tree, we have been very clear since the very beginning of this process on what we are trying to do and the outcome: as part of the overall withdrawal agreement, we must include the protection of the Good Friday Agreement and avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. We have not moved on this. Our EU partners, in supporting us as part of the European Union, have not moved on this.

I will address again the issue of having separate or secret negotiations. We believe it would be a strategic mistake to change in this regard. We are not having separate negotiations with the United Kingdom. That is the reason the European Union fully supports us and why we have had its support until now. Our priority for now is to conclude the withdrawal agreement. Again, this includes the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which, of course, encompasses the backstop. It is imperative, however, that the United Kingdom in these final stages of negotiations engage with the issues that have been identified to achieve the progress by the October Council meeting. It has given these guarantees time and again, not just at Christmas but also in March, in the Chequers paper and at the meeting last week. The United Kingdom has provided these guarantees to avoid a hard border. It has given clear commitments on agreeing a backstop and has indicated it will bring forward its own proposals shortly. Of course, time is of the essence.

Michel Barnier's approach — to de-dramatise the protocol and focus on what is currently in place, what is moving north and south, what goods are moving and where they are coming from, including from east to west, and whether goods go through Ireland before getting to Northern Ireland — is an attempt to find a way forward because to date, the United Kingdom has not agreed with our proposed legal wording on the backstop. It has not agreed with Michel Barnier's approach. Therefore, it must bring forward its solutions. What we saw last week in Salzburg was not a hardening of Irish or EU positions but merely a restating of the position we have always had, that we must have a legally binding and operable backstop in place in the withdrawal agreement for us to move forward. The European Union clearly stated its position that we cannot interrupt or change the integrity of the Single Market or cherry-pick the four freedoms. Were there any view that Ireland had hardened its position against the United Kingdom, I would absolutely disagree because, for us, the United Kingdom will remain a key partner. We want the best possible outcome. We want the United Kingdom and the European Union, including Ireland, to have the best possible relationship moving forward. Our bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom is important. Brexit inevitably puts pressure on it but our Ministers, despite all this, meet regularly and try to discuss a number of areas of mutual interest. We have reached agreement on the common travel area. It will remain in place irrespective of the outcome. The British–Irish Intergovernmental Conference met in July. There are already discussions to determine how the Good Friday Agreement could be used in terms of bilateral relationships after the United Kingdom leaves the Union. This is a relationship that is very important to us. I do not believe anybody here would disagree with that.

Specific issues have been raised. Deputy Eamon Ryan mentioned the single energy market. As part of the European Union, we are working with the United Kingdom to try to ensure these issues are addressed. The issues include the landbridge through the United Kingdom, which is obviously extremely important in terms of the transit of goods between Ireland and the Continent.

Our contingency and preparedness planning has intensified and is well advanced. It will be more visible from now on. Deputy Lisa Chambers raised the issue of freedom of information. Negotiations are at a very difficult stage. Our contingency planning is continuing but we must not endanger it or have it interrupted. I take the Deputy's point on transparency. We encourage individuals and all sectors and industries to get involved in the Getting Ireland Brexit Ready campaign, which will build public awareness and outline the measures that are already in place. We have already approved a number of key Brexit preparedness measures, focusing on east–west trade, including the preparation of our ports and airports to take into account the changes. Deputy Troy asked when this will happen. This was agreed by the Cabinet only last week but these measures have been put in place and we will be hiring staff as quickly as possible.

A number of issues were raised by Deputies across the Chamber. For the past two years, all our Departments and individual Ministers have been asked to identify the various challenges they or industries or representative groups may face. They have been asked to identify possible measures, including legislation, regulation and new funding, that need to be put in place. Since the summer, they have been asked to put in place an action plan. All the issues raised today have been identified not only by the Departments but also by the Commission.

We do not know the full nature and extent of the change Brexit will bring. Obviously, this depends on the outcome of the negotiations. I assure Members that the Government will be ready to meet that challenge.

On Deputy Burton's question on our plan for Ireland and the border, our plan is the Irish backstop. Negotiations have still not finished. The withdrawal agreement is 90% complete. The United Kingdom has said it will bring forward proposals. Therefore, we need to see those proposals. Ireland, as a member of the European Union, is ready to work with them, and we believe there is still time. I thank the Deputies again for their support in all this.

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