Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to join the discussion on Brexit. I come from the Border constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, which stands to be devastated by the doomsday scenario of a hard border. I hope this can be averted. This Parliament should say a couple of things to the DUP. First, we should make it very clear that there is no attempt by the Irish Government or anybody in the Republic to undermine the constitutional position of Northern Ireland without consent. It should not be necessary to clarify that there is no threat and no proposed threat to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland, given that this is enshrined as a central tenet of the Good Friday Agreement and is accepted by an outright majority of the people of this island, but I suggest we should restate it nonetheless. My personal view is that a hard border scenario would, perversely enough, present a greater threat because it would accelerate a level of chaos that would be much more detrimental to the interests of unionism in Northern Ireland.

The second thing that merits saying in this regard is that we have no ambition to create an east-west border in the Irish Sea. The contrary is the case. The position of the Irish Government is that it wants to have the UK within the customs union and the trading arrangements without any alteration in that regard. My view differs slightly from that of Senator Mark Daly in one nuanced respect. If the alteration of a word here or there advances the efforts to seek an agreement, for example by getting people to move on from bargaining positions or limbs they have put themselves out on, my personal belief is that this should be looked at as long as the central meaning, which is that there will be no hard border, is maintained. That is for others to decide. I join other Senators in paying tribute to the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Government and the diplomatic service for the way they have handled this matter. I thank all the Opposition parties for choosing not to make a political football out of this issue. That is so important in this instance.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his felicitous remarks in welcoming the Cavan rugby choir, which has been brought to Leinster House by Senator Wilson. We are very proud that this much-esteemed choir is performing here as part of today's festive occasion.