I am sure Members of the House will join me in sending our condolences to the family of the late John Browne. John Browne was nominated to this Seanad in 1983 and was a Deputy from 1989 to 2002. Any time I met him I found him to be a very decent man who imparted of his knowledge. His son Fergal was a colleague of mine in the Seanad from 2002 to 2007. Our sympathy and condolences go to his wife, Nancy, his daughters Carmel, Deirdre and Geraldine, and his son Fergal.

We saw in Westminster last night the Members of Parliament negotiating with themselves again. It is nice to see that the prospect of a no-deal Brexit has diminished somewhat but I would be very concerned that Brexit has created huge divisions, certainly in Northern Ireland and on this island. I read a news item recently about Trevor Ringland, who played rugby for Ireland. At the height of the Troubles, he and Hugo MacNeill were champions of co-operation and breaking down barriers on the island of Ireland but I am very concerned that Trevor Ringland has stated that there is no space in a very nationalist Ireland for even moderate unionists. I know the work that Trevor Ringland, Hugo MacNeill and many in the British Irish Association have done since the early 1970s in Oxford and Cambridge every second year but I am very concerned about that kind of rhetoric about a Border poll and nationalists being emboldened because of Brexit uncertainty. Nationalists have every right to aspire in that regard but these are difficult and dangerous times when we see somebody like Trevor Ringland, who was at the vanguard of cross-Border co-operation, coming out with a statement like that. We have to be very careful to ensure that we do not send out the message that we do not care what happens as a result of Brexit. We have to work very closely together on that. I was very concerned to see someone with the pedigree of Trevor Ringland coming out with a statement like that.

I am sure everyone watched with interest the ongoing proceedings in Westminster last night. Although it is not conclusive on any strategic plan, what they did achieve was to clearly demonstrate that a no-deal Brexit or crash out for the UK is well and truly off the table.

As I indicated to this House a number of weeks ago, reading between the lines of the discussion that was going on at Westminster and the language that was used, the supremacy of Parliament over Government was key, and last night clearly demonstrated that. The outcome of last night's vote indicated that the favoured proposition is a close alignment with Europe, a softer Brexit and support for close management of this situation. Interestingly, even though the vote on a public vote to approve a Brexit deal was lost, the margin was tight at only 27. It must be remembered that only 563 votes were cast so that position could evolve next week.

I am disappointed that a number of key individuals are changing their position on a daily basis to achieve Brexit at all costs. It begs the question about the integrity of the argument they have made and their motivation. Furthermore, to put the head of a prime minister on the block to satisfy the baying pack serves no purpose, especially at this point when she has already given a commitment to vacate her position at a later stage.

I listened to the argument about respecting the result of a referendum but I would like to clarify that by a process of discussion, negotiation, dialogue, debate and public engagement, as well as the UK, Irish and European discussion, we have already completely respected a referendum. What we have done is interrogate the information, have the negotiation and demonstrate that the ideology that was sold to the British people was undeliverable, and it is still undeliverable. The past two years have proved invaluable. They have challenged the process of democracy and will give the UK Government an opportunity to re-establish its position as a full member of the European community.

Due process is taking place and, as I urged this House previously, we must give it space to do so. The statutory instrument to change the date for withdrawal from today's date was passed last night. Ireland and the EU have done all they could be expected to do in this discussion. It is now in the hands of the elected representatives in Westminster. For Ireland, this is now a waiting game, with next week determining the next steps. I therefore urge the Government to refrain from commenting too much at this stage and not to distract from the debate that must take place within Westminster.

It is no longer tenable for the Government to claim that the housing policy or Rebuilding Ireland is working.