Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste back to the Chamber today and join others in welcoming Senator Marshall who has joined us here today. I thank him so much for his input today. I also thank the Tánaiste for his continued engagement with Seanad Éireann regarding Brexit, and particularly its impact on the North of Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. We had a very positive debate marking the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement last month and in challenging times it is reassuring to know that everybody in this House appreciates just how important that agreement is and how we need to do everything in our power to protect it.

Brexit is posing huge challenges in that regard but it is important to give credit where credit is due and to recognise the leadership and real commitment the Tánaiste has shown on this issue. I was in Washington last week and, speaking with civil society leaders and members of the Irish community in the US, it really struck me just how much positive feedback and strong appreciation there was on how the Tánaiste, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Taoiseach are handling Brexit. It is important to mention that today. Everyone can see the amount of time and energy being put into it and the effort being made to mitigate against its worst effects. We do have strong debates and disagreements in this House but, on this particular issue, the Tánaiste really does have a broad level of support within the Oireachtas for the work he is doing. Party political disagreements just should not come into it and he needs to know he has our full backing in the negotiations. With March 2019 fast approaching, we must ensure that Ireland is prepared and united on this and I wish the Tánaiste well in the hard months to come.

In that sense I do not want to preach to the converted. We have outlined in detail just how important it is that we avoid a hard border, that we protect the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, and that we ensure people’s jobs and livelihoods are not lost to a hard Brexit. The Tánaiste know how vital these issues are already and they were outlined in detail by the Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union last year, a committee of which I am proud to be a member. On that issue, I also want to pay tribute to Senator Neale Richmond who did a great job on the report.

Our report launched last July was comprehensive and offered more than 100 potential solutions cutting across a huge number of areas. One of my key priorities for that report was ensuring that the focus was not solely economic. That is really what I want to emphasise today. Brexit can have a hugely negative impact on trade and investment and that has rightly been a key concern for the Government, but it cannot be the only one. We have to ensure that citizens' rights and protections are not seen as merely fourth or fifth in a hierarchy of issues but are treated as equally as important as trade. On human rights, for example, Brexit is putting huge pressure on the Good Friday Agreement and the equality protections that are such an important part of it. When the agreement was signed 20 years ago, it saw the European Convention on Human Rights incorporated into domestic law in the North. It is worth noting just how important this was in terms of prohibiting discrimination on multiple grounds, including "sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status". These are not just words on paper but concrete legal protections that can slowly but surely change people’s lives.

Similarly, in 2010, the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights came into force and built on this further, offering improved protections on workers' rights, employment conditions, protections against unjust dismissal, access to healthcare, housing and social support, environmental standards, non-discrimination, gender equality and disability. However, Theresa May’s Conservative Party seems intent on repealing the Human Rights Act which underpins these protections. There was a fantastic legal report produced by a team of London-based lawyers which outlines the threat this poses for human rights in the North. The report states: "Brexit, on the current proposals of the UK Government, will weaken the protection of fundamental rights across the UK for both UK citizens and EU citizens." This is a huge concern and we must be absolutely clear in Dublin, London and Brussels that we cannot see any reduction of human rights standards in the North of Ireland. We must ensure that the protections currently available are upheld, that they are legally enforceable, and that they are equivalent to those enjoyed by those living South of the Border.This important equivalence is the bedrock of peace. Brexit is not just about economics. It is about the basic conditions of life and the rights afforded to everyone living on this island, North and South.

Another matter that has been forgotten in much of the coverage so far is the importance of continued cross-Border co-operation on environmental protection. It seems possible that the UK may no longer be bound by key EU environmental directives after Brexit. There is a real uncertainty over the impact that could have. I have admired the work of my colleague, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, on this issue. It has been made clear that environmental issues transcend borders. There is a considerable overlap on issues like biodiversity, waterways and air quality. It we are serious about protecting our natural environment and climate, we need a co-ordinated, consistent approach across the whole island. Ireland is a single bio-geographic unit and Brexit will not change that simple, material fact.

I note that the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, has stated that the UK wants to remain a "leading actor" on climate change, but in this area in particular, actions speak louder than words. We need to ensure that this means no slipping in standards. I thank the Environmental Pillar for its great work in briefing the Seanad Brexit committee on this matter.

More attention needs to be paid to the role that EU funding has played in the North and the importance of maintaining it after March 2019. During our committee hearings, we heard from many different groups and communities. It was clear that many opportunities were being jeopardised by Brexit, particularly for young people. Students from Northern Ireland are concerned that they could be excluded from EU programmes like ERASMUS or that they could be asked to pay tuition fees of up to €20,000 to attend college in Ireland. They fear that they may not be eligible for SUSI grants, which are important for accessing education and making university possible for families on lower incomes. These may be minor details in the grand scheme of the negotiations but they are very important and can change people's lives. Similarly, we heard that researchers in Ireland had been awarded €386 million in EU funding as part of Horizon 2020, but there is major uncertainty about whether that scientific research will be jeopardised.

A matter that is extremely close to my heart is the provision of well-funded mental health services and community supports, especially in the North where such services are sorely needed. The EU-funded PEACE programme has provided more than €2.2 billion for cross-Border projects related to post-conflict recovery. This includes assisting victims and survivors, providing conflict resolution workshops, trauma counselling, dealing with post-conflict substance abuse and addressing barriers, both physical and non-physical, to acknowledging and dealing with past trauma fully. This sort of trauma carries a significant emotional weight. Unless it is properly addressed, it can do untold damage to families and communities. Despite the formal end to the conflict in the North, a substantial proportion of the adult population still suffers the adverse mental health effects of chronic trauma exposure. If Brexit means reduced EU funding, then public expenditure cuts could see the closure of vital services. We simply cannot allow that to happen. I want the British and Irish Governments to show a strong commitment on this and make firm promises that funding for individuals, families and communities will be maintained no matter what happens in March 2019.

I thank the Tánaiste again for his work and commitment on this matter and I urge him to keep the issues of human rights, environmental protection and mental health services at the forefront of his mind during the negotiations in the coming months.