Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last night, as predicted, the Brexit withdrawal agreement negotiated between the British Government and the European Union was overwhelmingly rejected by the British Parliament. As was the case during the Brexit referendum debate, the vote last night again reflected an absolute disregard for the interests of Ireland and for the international obligations of the British State to honour and implement the Good Friday Agreement. Indeed, there is an unmissable hostility to Irish interests in some sections of the British political establishment. The level of Brexiteer delusion is perhaps best summed up by the commentary of the DUP leader, Ms Arlene Foster, when she claimed that we never had a hard border in Ireland. That is manifestly not true and it illustrates clearly that Brexiteers do not deal with reality. I am sure the Taoiseach does not need me to point out just how worrying that is because with every day that passes, we lurch closer to the possibility of a no-deal scenario and the return of that hard border.

Yesterday, prior to the vote in Westminster, the Tánaiste briefed us on contingency plans in the event of this situation. These contingency plans focus on east-west matters, which are important to protect trade and commerce between our islands. The Tánaiste said that the legislation required to deal with these matters will not be published until 22 February. Sinn Féin will assist in crafting and passing all necessary legislation but the Government is coming to all of this very late in the day. The Government needs to revise that schedule and Members need to see the legislation before late February.

The Tánaiste had nothing to say, however, on contingency planning to protect our all-island economy, citizens rights and the Good Friday Agreement in the event of a crash Brexit. Last night, as has been said, the Tánaiste and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport were at odds last night in respect of checks on goods crossing the Border in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The Minister, Deputy Ross, said that there would be checks but the Tánaiste said there would not. They cannot both be right. Who is right? Is it Deputy Ross or is it the Tánaiste? The reality is that in the absence of a backstop, there will be a hard border and there will be checks. The Taoiseach has skated around this issue time and again. Is it not now time to say out loud that in the absence of a deal, there will be a hard border and to reassert that this is an unacceptable, indeed, an unconscionable situation for us? It is time to state clearly that the Taoiseach will not, under any circumstances, accept a hardening of the border and the chaos that would follow from it for citizens in the their daily lives.

I ask the Taoiseach to state unequivocally that the backstop remains the bottom line, that he will defend that position and that there will be no resiling from it.

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