Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim beannachtaí na féile Bríde do na Comhaltaí go léir. Mar atá ráite ag comhghleacaithe cheana féin, seo lá speisialta agus ceiliúradh speisialta. Anois go bhfuil an t-earrach bainte amach againn, is cúis dúinn píosa dóchais a bheith againn agus muid ag dul ar aghaidh i 2021.

I want to move an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 29, motion 8, be taken before No. 1. Now is the time for calm heads and solidarity in the fight against the global pandemic. It is also a must that the EU and British Government honour and implement their agreements post Brexit. Now is the time for solidarity as we fight this global pandemic together. I know my colleague, the joint Head of Government in the North, Michelle O'Neill, spoke to the Irish Government and expressed our serious concern that the EU did not consult with the political Administrations in Ireland before moving to trigger Article 16 at the weekend. This unilateral action was clearly unwise, ill-judged and totally unnecessary. I welcome the fact the decision has now been reversed but, regrettably, it has caused political harm. It is not what Article 16 was designed for. Once the potential consequences of this move were properly understood by the European Commission, it is very quickly engaged in a climbdown and did not pursue that particular course of action. However, it has given those shameless Brexiteers now opposed to the consequences of their own actions the opportunity of using it to their advantage.

While the Irish protocol may be imperfect, it must be preserved. The protocol exists as a solution to avoid a hard border on the island, thereby enabling both the all-island economy and the Good Friday Agreement to be protected. Our citizens need timely access to lifesaving vaccines, not trade disputes between the EU and the British Government. The withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol were negotiated and agreed by the EU and British Government, and the onus is on them to honour and implement both.

Questions need to be asked and there are very important questions as to how and why this happened over the course of the weekend.More importantly, there are answers to be given. This could have had serious and significant political consequences.

In the context of the broader issues of which we are all aware, it is timely to have an update from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the post-Brexit scenarios that we are facing post 31 December and, given the weekend's events, the implementation of the Irish protocol and the withdrawal agreement.