Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak in this important debate. It should be remembered that from the outset, it was recognised that it was necessary to work at the Good Friday Agreement. This required all of the constituent bodies to work at it to ensure that it prevailed, regardless of what obstacles came their way. Unfortunately, at different times and for different reasons, parties decided to withdraw their support. That was not a good idea and while precedents may be set and various reasons may be put forward as to why this was necessary, it is not good for the agreement or the establishment of trust. Trust is one of the things that is necessary in the pursuance of the Good Friday Agreement and of the protocol, which I will come to later.

If we do not have trust, we cannot go forward and work at the agreement but can only work to undermine it. If we cannot have or get trust, there will be a weakening of the agreement, which is not in the interests of any side on the island of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. The work of US Senator George Mitchell who was involved in the agreement, as well as the various constituent parties in Northern Ireland, the Irish Government and the British Government at the time, will all be to no avail unless a check is done as to what we need to do from here on in.

The time is not yet right for a border poll and, by its inference, it would appear to be a threat, although it may not be, to one side in Northern Ireland. That should not be the case. That is why the establishment of trust is necessary. We have to re-establish that trust and try to remember that as we work towards the fruition of what the Good Friday Agreement was supposed to mean, it will mean that responsibilities fall on all sides. I know some parties in Northern Ireland are doing their best in that regard. Some are not, but far be it from me to advise them. I am sure they would say they know best. We must not forget that Senator George Mitchell was not local and his influence was major and crucial in respect of the Good Friday Agreement because he did not have baggage.

We now turn to the question of the protocol. The protocol has been shown as undermining the good relations between the European Union and the UK. It is not the protocol but Brexit. For heaven’s sake, why can everybody not recognise that? The protocol is not the problem. It was put in place to ease the problems created by Brexit, not to create a problem in itself. It does not create a problem but over time people saw fit to see it as the difficulty. Let us not forget that the previous UK Prime Minister had introduced a different system that was no threat to anyone but it was rejected.

Returning to the question of trust, there is no sense in having an international agreement in any way, shape or form unless there is respect and trust. Where now stand international agreements and what can be said about such agreements if one or other side wants to walk away from them? If one or either side walks away now, it is a matter for the other side to walk away also. There is no establishment of trust. The establishment of trust has to be addressed as a matter of great urgency.

I am very disappointed that the UK and its Prime Minister have seen fit to embark on a unilateral response to what is an international agreement to which the UK signed up. This was not accidental. The UK signed up to the agreement in good faith, as did all of the other constituent bodies, and the expectation is on the UK as well as everybody else. It goes without saying that if international agreements are to mean anything in the future, trust and respect for international agreements must re-emerge. If there is no respect for international agreements and no trust, then everything fails. It would be an appalling tragedy on the island of Ireland if, on the one hand, that trust does not re-emerge and, on the other hand, international agreements are not recognised as such, as indicated in the language used.

In whatever way we can, we should try to ensure that all of the different constituent bodies are brought together in such a way as to ensure that nobody is a threat to the other and that whatever differences have arisen can be worked out, without rubbing anybody’s nose or face in the grit. This is to recognise that it is in everybody’s interest to bring this issue forward and stand by the Good Friday Agreement and the protocol, which was also worked on very hard by the European Union and all involved.

Future generations will look very harshly at those who cause a problem and walk away from it. It is not possible to walk away from a solemn international agreement and expect nothing to happen. It is irresponsible.

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