Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This Government did not cause Brexit and is not responsible for it. We need less of the language about weak hands and all of that kind of nonsense. Brexit resulted from a decision taken by the British people. It was recommended to them by British politicians. In my view, it was the wrong move. Historically, it was the wrong move. It has implications for our fishing. If we had no deal, it would be a worse result for our fishing. We are on the precipice of a no-deal. It remains to be seen how the two principals, the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, can rescue the situation in their talks this evening. The matter is on a knife edge. As I have said previous, it is 50-50. There are difficult issues regarding level playing fields and our own fisheries.

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