Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The latter part of the question is whether we will have a democratic debate about these plans. Are they being marshalled below the political waterline? I have one more question. In terms of the Belfast office, I understand the Minister does not want to make it a big issue but the issue is a surprise for most of us when it was an accepted fact up to recent times. Is there any logical reason or understanding of the British position on having a Northern Ireland office?

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