Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----and I will try and say nice things about his leader.

The Taoiseach made a very balanced and measured contribution here this morning. It is very welcome that he is here and more than an annual engagement would be worthwhile. He would not need to be here every week but more than once a year would be welcomed by almost all Members of the Chamber on both sides of the House. I want to pay credit to the Taoiseach, and indeed to my own party leader, for all of the work that they have done on Brexit to include travelling around every EU capital, negotiating, dealing and explaining our position as a country to every one of those countries. I, Senator Kieran O'Donnell and others were on a trip recently with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach to Luxembourg. It was great to see the unanimity with Ireland that comes across from the other EU 26 countries.They understand our position and know we are involved. Senator Richmond was also there and Deputy Michael McGrath. A lot of that understanding is down to both the Taoiseach, Deputy Coveney and, indeed, other party leaders like Micheál Martin who have been across and spread the word. It is very important that those countries do understand our position. To the Taoiseach's credit, and that of this Government, he has done a particularly good job in articulating the position of a relatively small part of the population of the entire EU.

I have plenty of things to say but my time is limited. I welcome the increase in our global presence articulated by the Taoiseach in terms of Mumbai, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Cardiff and other locations that are coming along. It is important to note that both the Taoiseach and I ran, for the first time, in local elections 20 years ago in 1999.