Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to explain the work he has done. I was in Belfast last Sunday and Monday. It was only on Sunday night that we saw the cowardly shooting of a PSNI officer which brought back the reality of a breakdown in trust and peace. All parties have worked and are working extremely hard to ensure that we never go back to the awful times we saw in the last 30 years in Northern Ireland, on the island generally and, indeed, around these islands. We had a meeting of committee "A" of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly to consider a great many submissions on the impact of Brexit on the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. Some very stark submissions were made and, as someone said, we must muddle through. In effect, that is what we are doing. We are muddling through.

It was very sad to see the breakdown among the political parties in Stormont. Trust was breached and things were said which should not have been. I thank the Minister for going to meet with Mr. James Brokenshire and the leaders of the political parties to try to mend the fences. Unfortunately, that did not happen and an election has been called for 2 March. Like other speakers, I hope we continue in the vein of heretofore and that the election is not divisive. I hope the power-sharing institutions are not damaged. I believe they will not be and that after the election, the function of government in Northern Ireland will continue to deliver on the commitments made in the Good Friday Agreement. I thank the retiring deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, for the work he has done. He has been a great inspiration having come from very difficult times. He has been a leader and I wish him every success and thank him for the work he has done over the last ten to 20 years. I also wish Michelle O'Neill every success in her work as leader of Sinn Féin. Indeed, I also wish every success to the other parties including the SDLP, UUP, DUP, etc.

Human rights must be fully upheld under the Good Friday Agreement. With Britain exiting the EU, we have to uphold European law on human rights. The UK Supreme Court judgment yesterday puts a lot of things in play. From my discussions with many MPs, I am aware that many in the House of Commons were against Britain leaving the EU. The people of the United Kingdom failed to take into consideration the impact Brexit would have on the Good Friday Agreement, on Northern Ireland generally and on Scotland, as well as on the island of Ireland. We now have a case to say that the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement may well be undermined by an agreement of the United Kingdom to leave Europe. We must articulate our views to MPs and Members of the House of Lords that, whatever happens in the next two or three months when there is a vote on Article 50, they must now look at the Good Friday Agreement and its institutions and avoid undermining all of their great aspects. The welfare of the people of Northern Ireland and the interests of Ireland must be taken into account.

I thank the Minister once again for the work he has done, a great deal of it behind the scenes. We are committed members of the European Union, albeit we will be at a certain disadvantage in some ways. However, I know the Minister will ensure that the interests, first of the Republic of Ireland, but also of the island of Ireland, are considered and maintained. Once again, I note that the structures and implementation of the Good Friday Agreement must be maintained and enhanced. I wish the Minister well in that regard.