Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach's statement that he hopes there can be a satisfactory outcome, without much delay, to the negotiations on the protocol and the issues arising from Brexit. A number of us who are members of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly had a useful engagement with a UK minister, Mr. Conor Burns, during August. He was in Dublin and met various groups, including parliamentary groups. He put the clear message to us that he was here to listen to our concerns and bring them back to London. We sincerely hope that what he indicated to us will be followed on by his successors in the Northern Ireland Office.

Thankfully, there is considerable cross-Border trade today in the area that I represent. We have enterprises that are situated north and south of the Border, and they depend on all-island business and do not want interruptions to business. Equally, they want unfettered access to the Single Market. People, regardless of their political outlook, want these issues dealt with so that they can get on with their daily business and protect and grow jobs.

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