Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I suggest that the Minister of State circulates his notes because this is a crucially important amendment. The reason I say this is because it is important for electors in these constituencies who are going to vote on 24 May to understand exactly what they are voting for and the status of the MEPs they elect. I would have thought that this was unprecedented. I understand the reason for it and I support it, but it is unprecedented and we must be very clear with the electorate when it is voting as to what it means, particularly in Dublin and South, so I would not take this for granted or have a flippant attitude towards it. A lot of work needs to be done on this.

Has work been done at EU level by the Minister of State or the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade? What is deemed to be the delay period? The elections will take place on 24 May. If a delay to Article 50 is sought by the UK and granted by the EU that goes on after 1 July, what will happen to the fourth MEP elected in Dublin or the fifth MEP elected in South - MEP designates? I take it that if the UK leaves before 1 July, they will take up their seats as normal but if the UK does not leave on 29 March, the electorate will be voting in the European elections knowing that the people for whom it is voting will not take up their seats immediately. What period of time has the EU given for a delay to be an extensive delay? If it is over a year, does the UK then hold European elections? What is that timeframe? If an extension is sought and the UK holds European elections and puts candidates forward, I take it we will still have our elections based on 13 seats and will still have a fourth MEP in Dublin and a fifth MEP in South. That needs to be clarified because if, for argument's sake, the extension runs for a year and the UK holds European elections, will those British MEPs take their seats for that year?

Do our MEPs-designate, for want of a better phrase, who are deemed elected just stay in abeyance and basically in limbo for a year? What is the timeframe? In the intervening period while Article 50 is revoked, what happens with these two MEPs? What happens if there is a second referendum?

I do not expect the Minister of State to have all the answers. I take it these MEPs are only MEPs-designate. If everything happens as we think it will happen and there is a short extension and Britain then leaves, what role will those MEPs have in the intervening period? How do we ensure the people who voted for them are not disenfranchised? Will they still have representative powers in the sense they will still be entitled to an EU office and staff, and to have their administration done from within the European Parliament? Will they be entitled to ask questions, although perhaps not on the floor of the Parliament? Will they have staff to provide administrative back-up? Will they be paid and for how long?

I fully understand the need for this. It is unfortunate and it is a consequence of Britain leaving the EU, but it is right and proper that the seats be reapportioned among member states. I would like to get under the bonnet of this because it will become part of the debate in the election campaign. We want to make sure that in Ireland South, for example, a distinction is not made between the top four MEPs elected and the fifth, and a hierarchy is not created. We have to ensure the people who elect that fifth MEP, even though the person is MEP-designate for a period, still have some representation. The same goes for my own county and city of Dublin, in that should Britain seek an extension, the question arises as to what role the MEP-designate would have in the intervening period before taking up the seat.

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