Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Following in the same vein as Senator McDowell's contribution, I wish to raise an issue that pertains to transport, joined-up thinking and co-ordination, which has been raised with me several times. I beg the Leader's indulgence because I do not know how we resolve it but it is becoming an issue that needs to be addressed. We are all very happy to see some degree of a return to normality and that is manifest in some big, important events. On Thursday evening, the Ireland soccer squad will take on Portugal in what I understand is a sold-out match at the Aviva Stadium. About five minutes before that match is due to wrap up, the port tunnel is going to be closed. This is not the first times this has happened. It has the potential to impact any person travelling to the match from anywhere like Buncrana or Belfast or Malahide. I do not mean to be facetious about this, but it has happened several times when major events have been taking place in the city and there has been this clash. It has impacted on people getting home in a timely way. It shows there needs to be joined-up thinking in regard to these events, and when necessary work needs to take place, it is done in a well thought-out way.

I wish to acknowledge the welcome news from the Leader last week that the Minister for Foreign Affairs will join us next week for statements on the protocol. Calling as I have over the past couple of weeks for statements relating to the protocol, I did that with the very sincere intention of trying to cut through some of the noise and some of the heat being generated about this issue. We have seen that manifested on the streets of my own city in recent days and weeks. We all joined together last week to send out a clear message that some of the rhetoric and the nature of some of the statements need to be reflected upon and toned down. I want to take the opportunity to do that here again today. It is a welcome opportunity. We should all, across this House, take the opportunity during those statements next week really to lean in to the positivity that is available as a result of the protocol, the insulation it offers to Ireland, North and South, but indeed the opportunities it affords to businesses, North and South, as well. We are at a critical time and I do not want to add any further rhetoric into that mix other than to appeal to people to reflect over the coming days and weeks on their approach to this issue and the implications this could have. If we are not at a critical juncture, we are approaching it very soon. We all need to work to ensure the protocol and the protections for Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement remain steadfast and we do not see any escalation in what have been up to now, thankfully - not to diminish them - fairly minimal incidents on the streets of Belfast.I do not wish to diminish them, nonetheless.