Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste will be aware that Border communities are extremely worried about recent statements that he and the Taoiseach made regarding the imposition of customs and Border checks. The Government states that it could not produce a plan months out from Brexit, which is only six weeks away now. People are asking if there is a plan B and , if so, when they will see the shape of it. The Tánaiste has stated that this will happen when there is agreement with the Commission. When will that be? Will it be next week or the week after? Will it be a week Brexit is due to happen? People are extremely worried about the direction in which this is going. We need to reassure them. We also need people to realise that there is a possibility of a no-deal Brexit and that they should prepared for it. That is key.

I welcome that the Tánaiste recently informed the Cabinet about the no-deal Brexit plans in the various Departments. As I have mentioned to him, both privately and in public, I also believe that there is a role for the Dáil in respect of this matter. We have a part to play. Does the Tánaiste have a view on revisiting the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2019? How does the Government proposed to keep the Dáil on board in respect of this discussion? We want to be kept updated, not only in private rooms but also in this Chamber. We need to be telling people at home exactly what is coming down the track.

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