Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader invite the Taoiseach to come to the House to discuss Brexit? Today's edition of the Irish Independentcarries an article that talks about a Brexit "shambles". I cannot understand why a country as affected by what happens in the UK does not have a dedicated Brexit Minister and Department. I suggest that the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform be amalgamated. The US has only a finance Department, as has the UK. Michel Barnier, the former French foreign Minister, was appointed as the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit.The Prime Minister, Theresa May, will now have to seek the approval of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to invoke Article 50 and then the negotiations will commence around the end of March. Mr. David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, is leading a new Department but we, in Ireland, have no dedicated Brexit Minister. When we negotiated the Single European Act, we had a dedicated Minister and Department. We are sleepwalking through this crisis.

I met Mr. Frans Timmerman, the first Vice-President of the European Commission, on Monday last in Malta at a Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs, COSAC, meeting. I mentioned the possibility of relocating the European Medicines Agency to Ireland, which was also the subject of a Commencement Debate matter earlier today. The view expressed by Mr. Timmerman was that we should take our place in the queue. Senator Frank Feighan and others are pushing for the agency to be relocated here from London and I fully support them in that regard.

We need both a Minister and a Department that are committed to the necessary day-to-day discussions and negotiations. Who is leading the negotiations in Ireland? Is it the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? Is it the Minister of State at that Department with responsibility for European matters, Deputy Dara Murphy or is it the Taoiseach? The Prime Minister, Theresa May, is not the main negotiator in Britain; Mr. David Davis is charged with the task. The President of the European Commission is not the main negotiator in Europe; that job has been given to Mr. Michel Barnier. This issue must be considered very carefully given that trade between the UK and Ireland is worth €1.2 billion per week and we share a 499 km border. This is the greatest crisis in the 100 years of our existence as an independent Republic.

I appeal to the Taoiseach to consider this now and to set up a dedicated Department with a dedicated Minister so that everyone knows who to go to in the context of Brexit. I do not know who to go to now to discuss Brexit related issues. Brexit is not just an issue for the current Government. It will also impact on future Irish Governments. If I were the Taoiseach I would appoint the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, as our main Brexit negotiator and give responsibility for finance to someone else. Brexit is the most important issue at the moment and he is the one Minister who has gravitas and enjoys respect within the European Union.