Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the Taoiseach and thank him for his thoughtful address. I join Senator Ardagh in complimenting him, his Government and the main Opposition party on the cross-party approach to Brexit, which has been a cornerstone of our recent success in maintaining the solidarity of our allies in the European Union, who have shown us great support.

The Taoiseach mentioned that today is the 70th anniversary of the passing into law of the Irish Republic. It is a time to reflect on what it is to be a Republic and how far we are from establishing some republican values in practice rather than simply in theory. It was in this House that Senator William Butler Yeats, when confronted with a proposal to end the capacity of the Free State Parliament by means of a change of Standing Orders to grant divorce to any citizens in Ireland, protested against it at some length. His speech, which I think should be taught in schools, contained the pithy phrase about the Protestant minority in Ireland "We are no petty people".