Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The DUP is equally culpable in not having the Assembly up and running.

I hope there will be a re-run of the referendum in the UK. Failing that, I hope that Mrs. Theresa May will get this withdrawal agreement through her party and through the House of Commons and that we can negotiate a future relationship which, in substance, is unchanged. There are SMEs and farmers all over this country whose main trade is with the UK and not with mainland Europe. It is hugely important that we have an unchanged working relationship.

I compliment the Minister of State, as well as the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. I wanted to make a contribution to this debate today because I believe passionately in a united Ireland. That is not the sole preserve of Sinn Féin. I want to ensure that nothing in any way harms that aspiration but equally, it is critically important that this draft agreement gets through the UK Parliament.