Brexit and Sinn Féin abstention
Senator O'Sullivan warned that any Brexit deal is bad and criticised the political consequences for Northern Ireland. He also challenged Sinn Féin's decision not to take its Westminster seats, arguing past nationalist leaders engaged where necessary for the national interest.
Today is clearly a critical day for Brexit. We have not seen the print so we cannot make an assessment of it. The noise from the media suggests that we are on the cusp of a deal. I honestly believe that there is no such thing as a good deal and that there are far more downsides about any Brexit deal than there are upsides. The whole thing has been highly regrettable and I think the British people made a very profound error of judgment in the referendum but that is their business. It is sad that the voice of extreme unionism seems to be the only voice emanating from Northern Ireland at this time.
For whatever reason, the nationalist voice at Westminster - the entire focus is on Westminster, whether we like it or not - is still the voice of Hume and all the great people from the past, including Mr. Séamus Mallon and Mr. Mark Durkan. They represented nationalist thinking at Westminster. I do not understand the Sinn Féin position on this. I listened closely to our colleague.
Comment on this
The Senator does not understand.
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The Senator objected to being interrupted and I should not be interrupted. Sinn Féin has its reasons for not playing a part here. I do not understand those reasons. My party had to bite some serious bullets when Éamon de Valera came here to Leinster House in 1927. It was most unpalatable for the party but the members did it for the good of the country. Where would the country be if they had not? Daniel O'Connell went to the House of Commons. Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt went in, as well as John Dillon and John Redmond. They all played a part. It will be very serious for this country if the only voice to be heard, with a compelling say in the matter because of its votes, comes from the Democratic Unionist Party. It will be very sad day for Ireland and it is an awfully backward step.
My leader is addressing a conference on Brexit at Queen's University in Belfast currently, emphasising the total decay of many of the best points achieved in the Good Friday Agreement. These include North-South talks and that the relationship between this country and the United Kingdom is at an all-time low when it should be stronger than ever. We do not have an assembly up there. Many people have much explaining to do here and, without pointing the finger at anybody, we know some of those people.