In light of the excellent report prepared by the Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union over the course of 50 meetings, it would be worthwhile for the Seanad to follow up with meetings with the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Northern Ireland Assembly, which I hope will be established at that stage. These meetings could help both Parliaments develop a joint approach. The two Houses of Parliament and the Assembly could meet jointly with the Seanad, whether in Armagh or some other location, to discuss the effects of Brexit, because it is a very important issue. I ask the Leader to request that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit negotiations, Deputy Simon Coveney, come here early in the autumn to update the Seanad in respect of the negotiations between Michel Barnier and David Davis, the Member of Parliament representing the British Government in the negotiations.

One would have to be concerned that the British Government is introducing what is being described as a great reform Bill to the House of Commons before the negotiations are completed. The negotiations are just under way and bringing forward the Bill in advance of an exit is pre-empting the discussions . If anyone had any doubt that the exit will happen, when this reform Bill is passed there will be no going back. In the meantime, the United Kingdom is benefitting from the European Union agreement with Japan, from the EU-Canada comprehensive economic and trade agreement, CETA, and from the EU's relationship with the United States even though it is arranging bilateral meetings with Donald Trump and so on. It is all somewhat confusing.

I am delighted that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has been given this special responsibility and is being supported by the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, who was here yesterday. From our point of view I would suggest he establish a centre in Ireland dedicated to the Brexit situation, especially in light of the threats to €1.2 billion a week in trade and the 500 km open border. People would know that there was a dedicated team of high-powered civil servants. I feel that former taoisigh like Enda Kenny, John Bruton, Brian Cowen and Bertie Ahern would be supportive. They would be the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They would work with the Government in order to support it. There would be very qualified envoys involved.

The new Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, should go on a tour of the capitals over the summer months to acquaint other leaders of the situation. I have just returned from a meeting of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union, COSAC, in Estonia and Brexit was not really on the agenda. It was not of great concern to Estonia and other countries throughout Europe. We have to keep focusing on the issue and I put the focus on it at the meeting. I said that it must be discussed at the November COSAC meeting in Tallinn. If people representing Ireland were not at all these meetings Brexit would play second fiddle to all other issues.

I commend the Seanad committee, including Neale Richmond, the Chairman, and all the Members who participated. It is an excellent report and is worth selling. I propose that the document be circulated to all parliaments and European committees. It is not a big effort but it should be sent to each committee and to the parliaments of each of the 26 countries.

I also wish to raise the issue of Brexit but before I do so I want to endorse Senator Reilly's comments. I believe we would all agree with his points in respect of that deprivation index.

The EU Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, MEP, made a very positive suggestion yesterday. He was addressing a parliamentary committee which was looking at how to redistribute Britain's seats in the European Parliament. He suggested that those with Irish passports living in the North of Ireland should have the right to vote in European elections across the Border. He said it could be done by increasing the number of European Parliamentary seats in the Republic of Ireland. It should be the case that all of us in the Chamber would support the rights of our fellow citizens in the North to continue to have representation in the European Parliament.

Hear, hear.

Yes.

As such, it was very concerning when the chairperson of the committee, Danuta Hübner, MEP, said that what Mr. Verhofstadt was saying was amazing, because the Republic of Ireland is against the idea of giving the right to vote to nationals in "third countries". We have a problem here. To be clear, I hope that the chair of that committee is mistaken. I expect that our Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade would be very supportive of the idea of ensuring representation in the European Parliament for our citizens in the North. It is very important that we have clarity on that before we go into recess for the summer because we know that there is an open door from the EU Brexit negotiator to this idea and that the committee would be open to the idea. The committee, however, is under the impression that the Irish Government would not support it. It is very important that we hear from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. In fairness, I expect he will endorse the idea and I expect that we will have all-party consensus around the idea. It is very important that we do not let ourselves slip into recess without clarity on that very important issue.