David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is right. We will take seven, four and four minutes, respectively.

The Minister of State said that we live in an uncertain world. That is certainly true but when it comes to Brexit, it feels more like Groundhog Day. We are again seeing the British Government trying to have its cake and eat it when it comes to a future trade agreement. It wants to be outside the club but enjoy all of the benefits. We are going around having circular arguments on all these issues and all the while, the clock is ticking.

The Minister of State mentioned the possibility of an extension of the transition period. A number of other Deputies have stated that is not something the British Government wants or that the European Union has called for. There is uncertainty at play and Covid-19 has interrupted negotiations to some degree. A majority of MLAs in the North have backed a motion for an extension to the transition period.

The business Brexit group in the North, which represents 90% of the North's businesses, has itself called for an extension of the transition period. They have cited a number of concerns, including a lack of technical detail, a lack of time to prepare and a lack of engagement with the British Government and others. Bearing all of this in mind, has the Irish Government taken a position on an extension of the transition period? Has it lobbied the EU and the British Government?

The British Government has proposed an intensive session of negotiations in July on the basis of the current status of the four negotiating rounds, which means no agreement on substantive issues, including the level playing field, governance, fisheries, and judicial and policing co-operation, which would include the European courts as well. It seems unlikely that the EU will agree to such an intensive session until the two sides are closer on all of those issues. The Minister of State might give us the Government's position on the matter. The clock is ticking and businesses are worried.

There is a more fundamental question, and I want to give the Minister of State time to respond. There is growing concern about the British Government position. Nobody knows if this is more of the sabre-rattling and gamesmanship that we have seen up to now. There is a feeling that they are not as serious about finding an agreement as we and our European partners are. We also know that the EU is stepping up its preparations for a no-deal outcome. The Minister of State mentioned the possibility of a second Brexit omnibus Bill. What was absent from that latest Bill and from all of the responses so far, for reasons I accept that the Government put on the table at the time, was what happens at the Border in such a scenario. We need to know that now. As the Minister of State said, it is seven months away. What are the plans for the Border and what will the Government's response be in the context of a no-deal outcome, which we know is back on the table now as a live possibility?

See this speech in context