Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have to be honest about it. The argument was that nobody but the ex-leader of our country could look after the Brexit portfolio because he had the connections in Europe. It was rehashed here on three or four occasions as if it had to be written in stone. When he departed as leader, I waited for the Cabinet reshuffle after which I thought we would have a Brexit Minister, Deputy Enda Kenny. Consequently, I could not believe it when I heard the news that instead, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, who the Leader knows well, would be the Minister with responsibility for issues with the North.