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

An internal discussion is taking place, but it is important that the options are weighed up and that we agree on something before we start informing the public. Otherwise, anything we say will be twisted by some in Westminster to get a political message across that is not accurate. That has happened over and over again with regard to alternatives to the backstop. People stand up in Parliament in Westminster and misrepresent the reality. They will continue to do that and it does not make much sense for us to continue to make comments that allow them to do that.

Having said that, the Deputy is right. We need to be ready for Brexit day plus one, as the Deputy has called it, in a no-deal scenario. We need clarity both with the European Commission and with businesses. We are working towards providing that clarity. Some of what we can and cannot do is now pretty clear but there are awkward issues that need to be dealt with arising from our obligations to avoid any infrastructure on or near the Border and, at the same time, to protect the Single Market. Unfortunately, we cannot and do not control any decisions in Northern Ireland and so checks in Larne are not in our gift. Ultimately, any protection for an all-island economy now or in the future can only be delivered with the co-operation of the British Government. I remind the House that in December 2017, long before the withdrawal agreement had been drafted or agreed, in return for the process moving on to the next stage, the British Government gave a very clear commitment to Ireland that the default position in the absence of agreement in other areas would be regulatory alignment on this island to prevent border infrastructure. We should continue to request that commitment be honoured by the British Government. It was not contingent on a withdrawal agreement being agreed.

Protecting an all-island economy now and into the future can only be done by taking a regulatory alignment approach to the problem. Anything else would be disruptive to trade. We must ensure that, in that context, we do everything we can to protect the peace process.

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