Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too want to be associated with the statements of sympathy to the relatives and friends and community members of those who died in that tragic accident in Donegal. When I heard there were four young men killed in a car accident and the word "Donegal" came after it, it brought me back to a number of previous occasions. I know today is not the day to discuss these things but I really think that road safety, particularly in the north west, has to be looked at again. Road safety is a serious problem in that area and has been for many years.

I agree completely with Senator Boyhan that it is desirable that we should have the proposed Order of Business in written from available to us at the commencement of each session of this House.

Following on from Senator Horkan's statement about the need to debate the future of Europe, today is a very important day in the sense that the House of Commons in London is setting out to debate a series of amendments to a Government motion, the gist of which may well affect the future of the this island and the future relations between this island and our neighbouring island. There are two things that strike me about the Brexit debate. First, it has been repeatedly stated by a certain group of people, the European Research Group, ERG, people in the Tory Party in the House of Commons that the constitutional position of Northern Ireland cannot be prejudiced in any way by something like a backstop agreement. The constitutional position of Northern Ireland, however, both in the Constitution of this State and of the United Kingdom is now governed by the Good Friday Agreement, which is an international treaty registered with the United Nations and co-guaranteed by a number of institutions. To say that somehow the constitution is threatened by measures that are necessary to sustain the constitutional existence of the Good Friday Agreement is in fact to misrepresent the situation.

Second, it is important to say that the backstop is necessary for precisely this reason, namely, that were there no backstop, it would be possible for the same group of people - the ERG-orientated people in the Tory Party - to urge their Government to effectively take hostage the economic future of this State and of Northern Ireland in further negotiations on trade deals with Europe. It was for that purpose that the backstop was inserted as a preliminary step to ensure that such a process did not happen.

In case people think that is unduly alarmist, we know from remarks made by Mr. Rees-Mogg and other people that there are members of the Tory Party who are prepared to put a gun to the head of this State economically to push through their points of view. That should be said.

In view of the importance of the future of Europe as a topic, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that instead of having further debate on Committee Stage of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 this evening, we devote the time provided for it to debate the future of Europe, as suggested by Senator Horkan.