Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleague, Senator O'Mahony, in congratulating Mullinalaghta GAA club. Its victory brought great joy and pride to every town, village and rural area around the country, and indeed to every city as well. It showed what can be done. I am talking about the spirit of Gaelic football, the club and the community and what that means. I come from a neighbouring county and I was in Longford yesterday. It was possible to see that it had transcended rural Ireland. I again congratulate a great bunch of lads and a great community team.

I also agree with Senator Bacik. We are in a very difficult situation. What is happening now, in our lifetime, is very serious. We have had the postponing of the vote in London on the withdrawal agreement. The EU, however, is our staunch supporter and we must stand firm in ensuring, in any withdrawal agreement, that the Irish backstop will be included. We need cool heads and to work together in the coming months. I hope that it is months but, as someone said, it could be years. We might not get to the bottom of this Brexit situation for many years to come.

On working together, I have Dr. Greg Munro, chief executive of the Royal Commonwealth Society, coming into Leinster House this Thursday from 5 p.m. until 6.30 p.m. I invite my colleagues and anybody who is interested to come along. It might give an insight into all aspects of the modern Commonwealth of Nations. There are 53 member states and, of those, 32 are republics. The Commonwealth consists of 2.2 billion people, which is 30% of the population of the world. We have a common legal system, similar political institutions and a shared language. It advances bilateral, multicultural and multilateral connections in diplomacy, trade, development, culture and sport. It is the Commonwealth of Nations, for anyone who may not be familiar with it. It is not the British Commonwealth.Of the people born on the island of Ireland, 70% reside in countries which are members of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK. If people have anything to ask on Thursday, they are more than welcome to come into the Members' private dining room between 5 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.