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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

House of Lords Brexit report

Summary

Senator Coghlan also welcomed the House of Lords report on Brexit, describing it as positive and widely consulted.

I, too, add my voice of support in respect of the House of Lords European affairs committee's report, Brexit: UK-Irish Relations. I was delighted yesterday, with colleagues, to meet Lord Michael Jay and his colleagues and to have met Lord Tim Boswell, chairman of the committee, some time ago when he visited us. They also visited in the course of their talks in Northern Ireland in Belfast and consulted rather widely. They also consulted two former Taoisigh who I gather were very helpful to them. The key point is this is a useful and positive report. The committee has shown great interest and understanding, I might say, of our situation vis-à-vis the North and the various agreements and how we must protect all that is involved, which has also been embodied in European law. We are virtually on the same page as them, but it is also very important at this time and will be in the future because there will be many more developments and twists on the road before Article 50 is invoked by the British, not least the Supreme Court judgment to come in January. I am very much of the view offered previously by Senator Ivana Bacik. I appeal to the Leader to pursue this matter further at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges because it behoves us to have continuing contact with that committee - this House with that House - to advance matters further. I accept that lawfully, under standing agreements, we cannot negotiate separately or make arrangements bilaterally until the button has been pressed, that is, when Article 50 is invoked. However, there is nothing to prevent us from continuing to do good work behind the scenes in order that, I hope, when the time comes and we are formally engaged in negotiations, the European Union will be able to give its blessing, if not fully, then at least substantially, to what is in the best interests of Ireland and Britain, in particular the island of Ireland.

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