Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last December the House of Lords commissioned a report on Brexit and the impact on Ireland. The report was very measured and took the Irish angle into consideration, which was very welcome.Yesterday, the UK Government was overruled by 358 votes to 256 in the House of Lords. The peers were worried about demanding rights for EU citizens in the UK. There are times like this when we feel the peers are out of touch. It is good news. It can, and probably will, be overruled again by the House of Commons. Somebody once said that in the Houses of Parliament there is very goodwill but, sometimes, there may not be the same understanding. We must put on the record of this House the understanding of the rights of EU citizens in the UK. It came from the House of Lords, and this House must welcome it. Somebody said EU nationals should not become bargaining chips in the UK's exit from the EU. This is very welcome news.