Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for meeting the co-leader of the European Green Party, Philippe Lamberts, last week. Mr. Lamberts is on the Brexit steering group in the European Parliament and we found the meeting very useful. What Deputy Howlin said is true. There is not a hint of a chink that we may blink either in Europe or Dublin with regard to any fundamental change to the withdrawal agreement. That is also what I hear from Mr. Lamberts, who I would trust on what is happening in Brussels.

I would differ slightly from Deputy Howlin in regard to the possibility of London agreeing something on alternative wording within the political declaration. While I would welcome that, I believe the likelihood is very slim. It seems to me there are three possible courses. The first is a worrying possibility, given Prime Minister May is saying today in Westminster they should stall for more time and get closer to the edge, when the fear is they could go over the edge, which would be deeply damaging for everyone. The second, which is a recent development, is that she could cross the House of Commons, take what is in Jeremy Corbyn's letter and agree some sort of arrangement which would provide for the UK to remain within the customs union and the Single Market in some form, even though that would go against her red lines. The third is a second referendum.

With regard to the second possibility, if Jeremy Corbyn's approach was returned, it might give the DUP something it could swing behind in the sense it would not breach its red line of not infringing the UK single market or ours of infringing the EU Single Market. Jeffrey Donaldson wrote a positive article in the Sunday Independentlast weekend saying we need statesmanship and dialogue and that we need to engage. I encourage the Taoiseach to make further such approaches. I know he met with the DUP recently and he should continue on that track. I accept we cannot do much and this is London's call.

However, we should encourage in every way we can that they might help facilitate such a second solution along the lines of what Jeremy Corbyn has outlined in his letter.

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