Brexit border and common travel area
Deputy Burton queried discussions on recording goods and people in a hard-Brexit scenario and the risk of a hard border. The Tánaiste said the Government’s priority was to preserve the common travel area and current arrangements as far as possible, while acknowledging the UK had yet to develop detailed proposals.
I understand the Tánaiste and the British Home Secretary had some discussions on Brexit at their recent meeting. Did they discuss the British authorities' proposals, if any, to require the movement of goods and people to be recorded and examined in the event of a hard Brexit? Has the Department of Justice and Equality examined the possibility that such a scenario might arise? The Tánaiste is aware that almost nobody wants to see the return of any kind of hard border in the future, but this is what Britain is opting for, in effect. I assume these matters were discussed in some detail during last week's discussions. We have not received a report on the scenarios the British authorities are talking about, or indeed on what the Tánaiste herself might have put forward.
Comment on this
These top-line topics have arisen at every meeting the other Ministers and I have been involved in. We have made our priorities very clear at each of those meetings. I said to the Home Secretary that our priority is for things to continue as they are as much as possible. That is our goal because the current situation is working well. The UK has decided to leave the EU and so-----
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What situation is the Tánaiste referring to when she says "the current situation is working well"?
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I am referring to the current situation in terms of free movement and the common travel area. Clearly, we are satisfied with the situation as it is at present. The UK has decided-----
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We are not satisfied with partition.
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The point I am making is that any departure from that is problematic. The UK has decided to leave the EU. Therefore, we have to consider what the new situation will be. We are very clear on our priorities. I raised those again with the Home Secretary. This process is at an early stage. Article 50 has not yet been triggered. The UK authorities do not have very detailed proposals at this stage.
Comment on this
Is the Tánaiste saying they have not even thought about it?