Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The process has moved more quickly than we had anticipated, which shows the strong co-operation across the House, including from Fianna Fáil. We have been constructive and reasonable the entire way through, but I remain critical of the time allocated for the process. We would have liked to have had more time to consider the Bill in advance of the process beginning. It has put pressure on to have amendments made quickly because there are just 24 days to go to Brexit.

The Bill does not cover every issue that needs to be covered. I appreciate that not everything can be legislated for and that some issues will be dealt with through statutory instruments. We await more details of what will be done through secondary legislation.

In the wider context of Brexit it was disappointing to hear yesterday that there had been no breakthrough in Brussels between the UK team and Michel Barnier and his team. My understanding is much will hinge on the advice the UK Attorney General, Mr. Geoffrey Cox, may give to Parliament in the coming days. He has made it clear that he will not change his advice of last November that the withdrawal treaty, as drafted, will trap the United Kingdom in the backstop. That is not the intention, but nonetheless that was his advice which he was forced to publish. If he does amend it, I understand it will be published. If it is published and amended to the extent that the backstop is temporary, we will have to react to and assess it when it happens. The phrase about the need for t he sun, moon and stars to line up comes to mind when we see the task ahead of the British Prime Minister in that there appears to be a reliance on the Attorney General's advice changing to a significant degree that will allow the backstop to be seen to be temporary. That will allow some hardline Brexiteers to come on board, with perhaps the Democratic Unionist Party and some Labour Party members, which together might facilitate the passage and ratification of the withdrawal treaty which they negotiated.

We, on this side of the House, want to see a deal done. We are very concerned that there are just 24 days to go and a deal has not been ratified. The legislation passing through the House will go before the Seanad next week is positive. That is because of all the work done across the House by every political party, with the exception of Solidarity and People Before Profit. Every other party and Independent Member has done what it, he or she can to get the legislation through and should be commended on the work done in that regard. I commend all of the civil servants and the Minister's team, including those in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who have worked extremely hard to bring the Bill to this point. If there is a crash-out Brexit and no deal on 30 March, we are not prepared for it. The situation will be calamitous and there will be a direct hit on business, farming, supply chains, the price of sterling and peace and stability on the island. There is a lot of work to be done. The Bill is only one of many elements in the preparations the Minister who is leading for the Government on this issue needs to do to prepare the country for the worst possible impact of Brexit. There will be no shortage of support on this side of the House for whatever the country needs to do to get ready for it.

Our minds are on the negotiations in Brussels. We await the legal advice that may come from the United Kingdom with anticipation to see what the additional offerings from the European Union may look like and what status they may be given. In that regard, my party will assess developments as and when they occur. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to address the House at this important juncture of the Brexit process. It is only the beginning of what we need to do. I urge the Minister to step up preparations, particularly for business and farming, because we are not as prepared as we should be.

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