Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Custom House should be aware that one cannot rely on the market. No great city was ever built by market forces alone and no housing crisis of the kind we have will be dealt with by the market alone. That is a different matter.

I refer to Senator Swanick's remarks on the EU and where it is going. There is very little the Irish Government can be seen to do at this stage without opening itself to the accusation of interfering in English domestic politics. If one looks at the Theresa May deal and the Boris Johnson deal, one should not be under any illusion but that trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain is going to be adversely affected by the measures proposed. I am not relying on my own instinct in relation to that. I have listened to BBC radio and some of their economic, industrial and business organisations are expressing concerns about that. Whereas some in Ireland may think this is the DUP getting its just desserts, if one wants Northern Ireland to prosper, as we all in our hearts do for without prosperity there will be very little chance of reconciliation, the so-called "compromise" worked out is worse for Northern Ireland than the original deal the DUP opposed and brought down by its alliance with the European Research Group. It is not as if the new arrangements for Northern Ireland are good for the North. They are not. The DUP must share part of the blame for that while we should recognise the truth that this is not an ideal outcome.