Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact the British Government seems to be drawing back from introducing legislation on legacy and also that it is dialling down the rhetoric on invoking Article 16. On the British-Irish Council, I am pleased the Taoiseach was able to attend the meeting. It seems a wide range of issues were discussed, including economic matters, trade, ongoing relations with the EU, COP26, Covid-19, and post-pandemic recovery. As the Taoiseach knows, the council was established in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement to consider issues arising from the totality of relationships on these islands. There is no doubt Brexit has brought about change in these relationships so it is very important this forum meets regularly and is developed and enhanced. The agenda of the meeting last month was quite formal. Did the Taoiseach get any sense from the various delegations from the devolved administrations that Brexit was a bad idea and that it is having adverse implications for trade and economic progress generally in the various jurisdictions?

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