Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Attorney General and as Minister, I went to very far corners of the earth on St. Patrick's Day. It was important that the functions we carried out in those states happened. It would be so easy on account of one emergency arising from Brexit to clear this item from the diaries of governments across the globe in such a manner that it would never appear again. It would be regarded as having been given up. Therefore, we should keep the momentum of the St. Patrick's Day festival and the high profile of Ireland going and should never abandon, dilute or listen to the critics who have very little to offer of a positive nature.

Last night, what happened in Westminster happened and we still have Committee Stage of the Brexit legislation to consider today. It is of interest to note that there are serious consequences for Irish agriculture in particular. Irish agriculture is a notable exception as an area not covered by the legislation for obvious and good reasons. I am not criticising that. However, this country needs to keep a steady nerve now. The same voices that would have all Ministers abandon St. Patrick’s Day are saying we should panic immediately and somehow get into a complete flurry about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit. We have to keep our nerve and be civil and all the rest of it rather than aggressive.

When the dust settles, as settle it will over three months, six months, 18 months or however long it takes, Britain will remain a close neighbour. Britain has been a great ally of this State. It has been good to us in the past and relations had improved dramatically between Dublin and London. It would be a terrible pity if the coldness which has quite obviously descended on Dublin-London relations were to persist indefinitely or if lasting damage were done. Although we can be very critical and I have been very critical myself of the small minority in the Conservative Party in England which has hijacked the party and, through that, their country towards exiting the European Union on the most damaging terms, we have to be careful in our language so that we can restore amicable relations with whoever the British people elect as their government and avoid doing lasting damage or leaving Anglo-Irish relations set back by these events.