Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has raised a very salient point. If the UK leaves and becomes a third country, it is quite feasible that we would lose authority to negotiate a voisinage arrangement with it because that would then be seen as a new engagement with a third country. While the UK remains a member state, we can have a neighbourhood arrangement with it. If it is a third country, however, the negotiation is taken out of our hands and could be a function of the European Union under the Common Fisheries Policy. In the context of being in control of our arrangements with our neighbours, it is preferable that we do it here rather than lose control in a situation where the UK becomes a third country.

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