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

That is exactly what would happen.

Contingency planning must also include provision for emergency EU funding for vulnerable sectors and regions in the event of a crash. Since the Brexit referendum result, Sinn Féin has argued for the establishment of such a fund and has called on the Government and the European Commission to facilitate it. While the Government has belatedly begun speaking of such a fund, there has yet to be a formal proposition to the EU. It needs to happen as a matter of urgency because Brexit is not an abstraction; rather, it is very real. Although much of the debate has naturally focused on the possible or the probable, with much hypothesising, Brexit will happen sooner rather than later and it will have a real impact on people's daily lives.

Reports today that in the event of a hard Brexit motorists who cross the Border will need a so-called green card is clear evidence of this. Apart from that being absurd and frankly annoying, that is, the concept that one would need a green card to traverse the island, this is also the type of time-consuming and costly impact that Brexit will have, particularly on Border communities and on businesses and anybody whose work or personal life brings them regularly across the Border.

This morning the Minister for Education and Skills could not give a straight answer as to what would happen to students who study in different parts of the island in the event of a hard Brexit. Over the coming weeks more and more examples of the direct damage of Brexit will come to the fore. Brexit is as much an issue for those in Derry and Fermanagh as it is for those in Dublin or Cork. It will adversely affect our entire island if we let it, and it is vital that we deal with the challenges on that basis.

The Taoiseach during Taoiseach's Questions yesterday, in a very flippant remark, challenged me to lay out Sinn Féin's position on Europe which I am more than happy to do in a very abbreviated way. It is an important consideration in the aftermath of Brexit because lessons have to be learned. As a result of Brexit, the European Union is at a defining point. As part of the future of Europe debate, the battle of ideas for the European Union is well under way. While Brexit is the product of a particularly English set of circumstances, we must accept and acknowledge that disillusionment with the European project is widespread. Rather than accept or even contemplate that EU policy is fundamentally flawed and alienating citizens, the European political establishment seems determined to plough on regardless with more of the same. I want to say on the record of the House, on so many dimensions, be it foreign policy, neutrality or the issues of sovereignty, that this is entirely the wrong approach. I challenge the Taoiseach to lay out his position on the future of Europe. He has been very quiet on the issue. Where does he stand on Irish neutrality, on greater fiscal co-operation, as it is called, and on sovereignty and tax sovereignty? Once again we have a report that the European Commission is back on the game and pushing for an end to tax vetoes at European Council level. Once again Ireland must say "No" to this. We have to make it clear that Brexit changes nothing as far as the importance of democratic decision-making and national economic sovereignty are concerned. The emergence of Brexit should illuminate all the more clearly that these matters are sacrosanct and must be respected.

In summary, whatever transpires in Westminster in the coming days and weeks, it is essential that Irish interests, our economy and our peace process are protected. I urge all political leaders here, in Britain and in Europe to act in the interests of workers and the working class, of communities, of society and of real political stability. The basic protections agreed for Ireland are not to be reopened or renegotiated. If they are, this Government will not be forgiven. If a no-deal situation transpires - let me repeat I do not wish for that - then we need a referendum on Irish unity. That must happen.

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