Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind all of us that this legislation is to be enacted in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Along with Members from all sides of the House, I am genuinely hoping that this legislation need never be enacted although it is important to pass it in an efficient manner. I also point out that these Houses have an ability to order their own business, hold Members to account, request information and reports, and decide what to debate in Private Members' time, Topical Issue debates and committee hearings, and they do so very effectively and robustly. I do not think the Government intends to stipulate for a range of Ministers to provide a range of reports within 90 days. That is not because we are unwilling to provide such reports but because the back and forth of parliamentary accountability already deals with it.

I want to end as I started, by reassuring Deputy Naughten not just of my good intentions but of the absolute policy position of the Government that it wants to make sure these services can be provided into the future for exactly the sort of cases he outlined.

This legislation is emergency legislation which is geared towards dealing with the here and now of a no-deal hard Brexit.

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