Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I, too, thank the Minister for coming to the House again with a fresh update on the Brexit negotiations and the protocol. It is fair to say we must thank the US Administration for its steady and supportive hand throughout this process. As I have said in this House before, the Minister has built up a number of contacts over the years and been a steady hand throughout this process. Our interests are pretty well protected from an EU perspective. His experience and expertise have shone through.

Last Wednesday, a cross-committee meeting took place with the House of Lords. I found it interesting to hear their views because sometimes one feels perplexed that parties, like the Labour Party in the UK, have not been stronger with the Johnson Administration on Brexit and the protocol. It felt like a breath of fresh air to listen to Lord Peter Hain, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and how strong he was in opposing what the UK Administration is currently doing and how it has undermined its position from the point of view of a future trading situation with the EU and the US, which Lord Hain mentioned. It is pretty much a case of the UK Government cutting off its nose to spite its face.

On Thursday, we travelled to Belfast with colleagues in this House as part of a delegation from the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We were there two days and had numerous meetings. We had meetings with the unionist parties and it was interesting to hear their insight into Article 16. They had a general belief that implementing Article 16 would not necessarily be serious or as bad as we were inclined to think it would be. I found it fascinating that this was their position. It seemed as if they have been fed the line that it is a simple part of the protocol and, from that perspective, not something to worry about as it was just another negotiating position. They displayed no real insight into the real damage Article 16 will do. I am interested in hearing the views of the Minister on that.

The unionist parties also expressed an interesting solution for medicines. They felt that resolving issues regarding the importation of medicines into the UK will not be as easily resolved as the EU now proposes. Again, I would like to hear the Minister's views on that.

We met two professors about a study done in Queen's University Belfast on the implementation of the protocol. They conducted a vast poll of 2,500 participants on that implementation. I found it interesting to hear the breakdown of the study and see how support for the protocol came down pretty much strongly on sectarian lines. That situation would lead you to believe there is a very poor understanding of the implementation of the protocol, how it will be implemented and the effects that it will have within Northern Ireland. Possibly, the Irish Government has a job of work to do on that.

The Minister mentioned in his speech there were opportunities for Northern Ireland to be heard and help implement the protocol. Is there an opportunity for us to look at some mechanism whereby representation within Northern Ireland can be brought into being, because currently the North is part of the EU trade-wise but it does not have any say? We have difficulties in getting a unionist voice as far as Dublin, but I think it would be worthwhile looking at creating some sort of oversight role for members of a committee of members from Stormont and the Oireachtas, which could perhaps be Stormont-based for once, with some UK input as well. From a number of perspectives, it could be an interesting idea to look at.

We had a meeting with the Ballymurphy and Springhill families. Their solicitor, Mr. Pádraig Ó Muirigh, made the point that the families would not have got as far as they have with inquests had it not been for the independence of the Judiciary. There is a fear that if such independence is eroded by the UK that seeks to water down the input of the European Court of Justice, then the implications for the families and for many other things is something we need to look out for and protect. I would like the Minister to take this matter on board.