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

The Taoiseach said he was happy to share information with the Dáil and that he was keen to consult. Dare I suggest to him that he has not been keen to consult the Oireachtas and that he has not been happy to share with the Dáil. It was under pressure that the contingency plan was published on 19 December.

What is the big secret? What is behind the reluctance to share basic information with people on a no-deal Brexit? It is important to be prepared and ready and that the public be likewise. For example, on 19 December, Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection about preparations on social welfare, social assistance and so on. The Minister said an analysis was ongoing within the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Is that analysis completed? This is very basic. One would have thought that an analysis of that kind would have been completed long ago. Can the Taoiseach indicate whether that analysis on social welfare is complete and whether it can be published to show what the potential implications would be?

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