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

I am well aware of the intent and the content of the backstop and welcome the Taoiseach's assertion that he will stand by it. I take it that this will remain the case, irrespective of overtures or pressure that might come from the British Government or from other quarters. The backstop is necessary, as the Taoiseach correctly said, to avoid a hard border. It logically follows that in the absence of a backstop, the Border will harden and that will result in many things, including checks as goods crossing that border. The Taoiseach has again failed to set out the contingency in that eventuality, which is not one that I or anyone in this House wishes to come to pass. What happens then? The contingency legislation for east-west matters has been dealt with and we will see that legislation shortly but the big question remains. What happens regarding the border on the island of Ireland, not least in the context of the consequences for the Good Friday Agreement? What is the contingency plan for that? Let us make no mistake about it, as sure as night follows day, if there is a crash Brexit and there is no backstop, a hardening of the Border will follow automatically.

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