Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We do not know about them. The Minister of State has not said whether those plans are afoot. It is increasingly obvious that the Government is trying to use a no-deal Brexit as an excuse for punitive measures against ordinary people. It may not be able to increase social welfare, pay the Christmas bonus or honour the promises it has made to public sector workers, yet ironically it may be able to impose an increase in carbon tax and refuse the Apple tax. The Government is showing us that its interests are in stark contrast with what it says they are.

On the question of a border poll, Lord Ashcroft's recent poll in the North was conducted without any clause for "in the event of a no-deal scenario." While I am aware it is just a poll, it showed that 51% of the people across Northern Ireland would favour a border poll and a united Ireland. This is important. I am not trying to scaremonger among the unionist community. The terms of the Good Friday Agreement already state that if at any time it appears likely to the Secretary of State that a majority of those voting would express the wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the UK and form part of a united Ireland, then that border poll should be conducted. It is a slim margin. If Brexit turns out to be a disaster for the people of Northern Ireland, who voted against it - and we believe that will happen unless real action is taken - there will be an opportunity for us to do something real. In that event, should we not set out to win the hearts and minds of all people, Protestant, Catholic, those of no religion, all working people, all farmers, all industry across the community? We should say to them that we have common cause in conducting a border poll that may look for a new kind of Ireland, a united Ireland that would not reflect the existing one, set up in the interests of a minority of super rich, of a landlord class, of the elite, but that would function on both parts of the island in the interests of ordinary people, the real people who do all the hard work and who bear the brunt of all the policies of both Governments, North and South. We could show our commitment to that sort of justice and social equality by acting now and withdrawing from the Apple tax case. We should pull out of it before we have to pay any more legal fees, and take €14.3 billion home in our back pockets to help deal with the hardship that is going to be imposed on communities.

We are calling for honesty, full openness and full disclosure of the plans from this Government in the event of a hard Brexit. I believe the plans exist. Everybody is entertained by the carry-on in Westminster these days. We look so boring compared to them, but at least they published their full plans, whereas our Government is holding back up to the point that we are nearly facing a hard Brexit. This is not on. It is not fair to the people of this island, North or South.

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