Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. I congratulate Senator Chambers on her stellar work as Chair of this committee. I was not a member of the committee, but as someone who lives in the Border area, I took great interest in its workings. The report is an excellent report which should be read by those in the shared island unit and by all those living here who have an interest in the future of this island over the next 100 years.

Others mentioned how worrying it was, particularly for those in the Border community, when Brexit was mooted. I felt I was screaming and the world was not listening - even though Ireland was - about the potential for a hard border. I stood on the Border on many Saturday afternoons protesting in solidarity with my community to say we would not stand for a hard border. Thankfully that has not happened. First we had the backstop and then the protocol. We should congratulate ourselves on having built up 100 years of international relations. This small country has the USA and the EU standing with us in making sure this protocol works. The European Commission has worked tirelessly to understand this island and how it works. We see clear movement on the protocol to ensure it works for everybody in Northern Ireland.

The truth is that the protocol is working for people in Northern Ireland. We need to continue to explain that the protocol is better for everyone on this island. Brexit highlighted many opportunities for this island and many changes that are needed on the island, along with the importance of international relations and how our colleagues have stayed with us. It also highlighted opportunities for how we move forward in the next 100 years and our co-operation and relations with our neighbours in the UK.

I wish to highlight a few things specifically. There is a clear democratic deficit in the North at the moment. The common travel area rules need to be re-examined and taken care of. We neglected them, rightly, because we were part of the EU. We need to recognise the rights of migrants resident in this country and their ability to travel north and enjoy the North. We need to look at 11 counties close to our Border and the economic and social benefit of working within the customs union on an all-Ireland basis. There is great potential for our Border and the 11 counties - the Six Counties and the five counties in the South on our Border. The more we look at things on an all-Ireland basis, the better it is for everybody on this island. I would love to go on but I have run out of time. I again thank the Minister for his presence.