On Thursday last in the course of the Seanad Brexit committee hearings one contribution was striking, namely, that of Mr. John McGrane, the chief executive of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McGrane suggested that the Government should reach out across both parts of this island to all aspects of civic society, including the industrial representative organisations, trade unions, farmers' organisations, trade organisations and legal professions, to explore what the imaginative and flexible options which Mr. Barnier has said he will consider might be. I call on the Leader to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, the Taoiseach or whoever is handling this particular aspect of the Brexit affair on our behalf, to come to this House to indicate their attitude to that idea.

It seems to me that there are many models by which the best interests of both parts of this island could be advanced. It also seems to me that there is a lot of analysis of the problems inherent in Brexit and very little debate on the positive solutions, at a public level at any rate. I ask that the Leader ask whoever bears responsibility for this matter - in truth, it is probably the Taoiseach's Department - to come to this House to engage in a discussion with Members on the idea put forward by Mr. McGrane, namely, to engage Irish society on a general wide basis to participate in that debate and to come forward with different models and solutions for consideration by everybody on this island and not to have the process entirely conducted in secret.

I thank Senator McDowell for that perfect primer to what I am about to say. Some people might not be aware that today is Europe Day, 67 years on since Robert Schumann wrote his very massive declaration which sets out everything that European integration has grown to become, bringing peace to this continent. I agree with Senator McDowell's proposal but I would like the Leader to call in the relevant Minister with responsibility for European affairs as I think we need to have a discussion on where Ireland is going forward within the European project.

In terms of the disaster that is Brexit, I am firmly of the belief that Ireland needs to be at the heart of Europe. The election on Sunday in France of a pro-European President, and previous to that in the Netherlands, is very encouraging. Even more encouraging are the results released this morning of a poll conducted by European Movement Ireland which shows that 88% of Irish people are happy with Ireland being part of the European Union, 87% believe that Ireland has benefitted from membership of the European Union and 88%, if they had had the opportunity of voting in the recent British referendum, would have voted to remain.

That said, we need to have a discussion and to nail our colours to the mast that we are committed to Europe, are going to remain in Europe and are going to involve everyone from civic society in how we go about mapping that out in the future. We need to start that debate in this Chamber.