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

I welcome the Taoiseach's visit and meetings with the political party representatives in Stormont yesterday. It is irresponsible that we do not have a fully functional assembly and Executive in Northern Ireland. Other Members have referred to the cost of living and the huge pressures on families and businesses in practically all sectors of society. The last thing we need is ongoing difficulty with the protocol. The European Union to its credit has shown flexibility. The Commissioner responsible for these areas of negotiations and talks has indicated that the proposals the European Union put to the British Government last October would meaningfully deal with many of the issues of concern to people in Northern Ireland. When I speak to my neighbours north of the Border and people in my constituency who trade with Northern Ireland they do not want obstacles put in the way of trade. They want free movement to continue. Whatever difficulties there are, they want them sorted out. They want the political institutions fully working on behalf of the people who elected Members to the Northern Ireland Assembly. They want an Executive working on behalf of all the people of Northern Ireland.

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