Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mar fhocal scoir, gabhaim mo chomhghairdeas le gach éinne a chabhraigh leis an Tánaiste agus leis an Teach an Bille seo a shocrú. Ba mhaith liom a rá go háirithe, ar mo shon féin agus ar son an Tí, cé chomh bródúil is atáimid as an Tánaiste, as an Taoiseach agus as an Aire Stáit, an Teachta McEntee, ní hamháin i dtaobh na hoibre atá á dhéanamh acu ar fud an domhain ach freisin i dtaobh na gcomhráite atá déanta againn anseo.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has become an important part of Irish politics. All Members can be very proud of the role that the Tánaiste has played in developing friendships, building synergies across Europe, and ensuring that we will never have to enact this Bill.

I thank the Tánaiste for the work he has done. On a personal level, it has been difficult for him as he has been away from his family. He has travelled across Europe and the world, making friendships and building up alliances. Today, as we conclude our business on this Bill, there are Ministers travelling the world telling the story of the importance of Irishness and the importance of Ireland in the context of a post-Brexit world. I am not going to strike a discordant note in my final contribution, but to the members of Sinn Féin, the words of W. B. Yeats come to mind when I hear talk of a Border poll: "Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."Yeats also wrote:

Think where man's glory most begins and ends,

And say my glory was I had such friends.

It is now that we need friends in Europe and that we need to wear the green jersey as we all have done and will do. The important point is to ensure that we will not have a hard Brexit and a hard border on our island.