Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will leave the line Minister to respond on the substantive transport matters. To clarify the position for the House, it is currently the case that cars driven from Ireland to other parts of the European Union are covered by the EU's motor insurance directive. The directive allows one to drive anywhere within the Single Market while having one's home insurance certificate recognised under the EU system. If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union on 29 March without a plan or deal, Northern Ireland will no longer be in the European Union and the EU directive will not apply in that jurisdiction. The insurance industry made it clear some time ago, in the context of its own contingency planning, that to facilitate continued travel by cars from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland, which will be a drive out of the European Union notwithstanding our dislike of that fact, proof of insurance cover will have to be provided. A green card, which is slightly unfortunately named in the context, will provide that proof of insurance cover where a car has driven from the Republic into Northern Ireland and is stopped. It is not that people will be stopped on the Border to allow green cards to be checked and it should not be painted as that.

While there is a way to resolve this issue, Ireland cannot do it on its own. The European Commission must resolve the matter on a bilateral and reciprocal basis with the UK. The reason the UK has potential arrangements in place with other countries is that it can make bilateral deals with those countries. However, it does not have a bilateral arrangement with the EU on this. While the Commission has put contingency plans in place in many areas, including aviation and other areas people are aware of, no contingency plan is in place yet to facilitate access here without proof of motor insurance. That may materialise between now and 29 March if we continue to move towards a no-deal Brexit but we will know a great deal more about that next week. In my view, it is unlikely that we will continue in that direction, but it is not possible to say for sure. While the insurance industry has printed and issued hundreds of thousands of green cards as of now to act on this contingency, it would be more helpful if a bilateral arrangement were in place between the UK and EU on a contingency basis while a longer-term solution is worked out. The Government and the Minister could not have resolved this problem even if they wanted to because the EU must resolve it collectively. The European Commission must. The Deputies opposite can shake their heads all they like, but that is the legal position.

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