Dáil Éireann
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Vol. 981 Tuesday, No. 3 2 April 2019. DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 02/04/2019A00100Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders’ Questions 295 02/04/2019H00500An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business 303 02/04/2019P00700 Statistics (1916 Rising Centenary) Bill 2016: Leave to Withdraw [Private Members] 312 02/04/2019P01000Ceisteanna - Questions 312 02/04/2019P01100Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions 312 02/04/2019P01200Ports Traffic 312 02/04/2019Q00125Football Association of Ireland 314 02/04/2019Q01100Light Rail Projects Status �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������317 02/04/2019R01200Rural Transport Services 319 02/04/2019S00600Light Rail Projects 321 02/04/2019T00500Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters 324 02/04/2019T00700Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������325 02/04/2019T00750Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions 325 02/04/2019T00800Air Accident Investigations 325 02/04/2019U00500Sports Capital Programme Applications 327 02/04/2019V00400Railway Stations ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������330 02/04/2019W00350Tourism Promotion 332 02/04/2019X00400Bus Éireann Services ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������334 02/04/2019Y00200Rural Transport Services Provision 336 02/04/2019Y00700Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate 337 02/04/2019Y00800Hospital Accommodation Provision 337 Ambulance Service Response Times 341 02/04/2019BB00200Tourism Funding ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������344 02/04/2019CC00500National Parks 346 02/04/2019DD01700Retention of Records Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������350 02/04/2019DD02100Retention of Records Bill 2019: Second Stage 350 02/04/2019NN00300Retention of Records Bill 2019: Referral to Select Committee 369 02/04/2019NN00600Estimates for Public Services 2019: Message from Select Committee 369 Autism Support Services: Motion [Private Members] 369 02/04/2019DDD00500Estimates for Public Services 2019: Message from Select Committee 397 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 2 Aibreán 2019 Tuesday, 2 April 2019 Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 2 pm Paidir. Prayer. 02/04/2019A00100Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders’ Questions 02/04/2019A00200Deputy Dara Calleary: Since the House last sat on Thursday, there has been a series of deadlocked votes at Westminster which led this morning to Michel Barnier stating, “Over the last days a no-deal scenario has become more likely, but we still can hope to avoid it” The European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, tweeted last night that, following those votes, a hard Brexit becomes nearly inevitable. His remarks were effectively endorsed by the Tánaiste’s party colleague, Mairead McGuinness, MEP, this morning in a radio interview Nobody wants a hard Brexit We all cannot reiterate that enough However, the indecision of the Westminster Parliament may land us in one, either by accident or by design on the part of some MPs However, the one shred of light is that the customs union proposition may be the most politically palatable given that the division on it last evening was lost by only three votes The British Cabinet is currently meeting As we know by now, we cannot anticipate what it will decide. Many businesses, farmers and fishermen, as well as communities on the Border and across the island, are petrified as to what will happen on Friday, 12 April. Last Friday was supposed to be Brexit day but the date was kicked to 12 April, which is only a week away If what those eminent people stated this morning comes to pass, we may end up, by accident, in a situation nobody wants There is an onus on the Government to ensure that we are adequately prepared and to begin communicating what are the plans. We all received a Government leaflet this morning which indicates that without the EU-UK withdrawal agreement “avoiding a hard border will be more challenging and will require detailed discussions” It also states “In that scenario the outcome, including practical arrangements for citizens and businesses will be made public as soon as possible” The Taoiseach will meet President Macron today and the Chancellor Merkel on Thursday Several weeks ago, the Chancellor Merkel asked if Ireland was prepared for what could be a hard Brexit and stated that in the absence of a deal there would be no Irish backstop She asked the Taoiseach to outline how the Single Market would be protected between the Republic and 295 Dáil Éireann Northern Ireland. She urged officials to get a move on. The Taoiseach has confirmed in the House that contacts are taking place between Ireland and the European Commission about protecting the Single Market but that he would not share papers or documents Is that still the case? What is on the agenda for the meeting between the Taoiseach President Macron Is it about protecting the Single Market and planning for the event of a no-deal Brexit? Where will today’s and Thursday’s discussions lead this island? What is the Tánaiste’s view on the likely outcome over the coming days? 02/04/2019A00300The Tánaiste: I thank the Deputy for asking his question and for giving me an opportunity to update the House on this matter I agree with Michel Barnier and others when they say that, as the days pass, a no-deal Brexit looks like a real possibility Of course, we hope that will not be the case but the country needs to be ready if it is The Government is very much focused on working with all other parties in this House to ensure we do everything we can to prepare Ireland for that outcome, which would put huge strain and pressure on many sectors across the country We are well prepared in many ways and we go through the detail of that preparation on a regular basis with stakeholders and many others State agencies are constantly reaching out and speaking to different sectors and businesses on what they need to do to prepare for Brexit I will bring two Brexit papers to Cabinet this evening when it meets at 830 pm on the Taoiseach’s return from Paris I assure the Deputy that the no-deal Brexit preparations have intensified significantly in recent days and that will continue. On the difficult issue of how we respond to the challenges of an all-island economy in the context of the United Kingdom crashing out of the European Union and, therefore, Northern Ireland, as part of the United Kingdom, being outside of the customs union and Single Market without any deal in place, we have always said that is a very difficult challenge to respond to for us, as a Government, and the EU collectively We have a dual responsibility to protect the integrity of the EU Single Market, of which we are very much a part, and Ireland will not to allow a situation where the UK leaving the European Union without a deal drags Ireland out of the Single Market with it We cannot allow that situation By that I mean that a response that involves checks in EU ports on all Irish products is not a runner. That would cause significant damage to our economy and we will not allow it What we need to do, and what we are doing now, is to intensify our discussions with the European Commission on how we respond to the dual responsibility of protecting the Good Friday Agreement, the peace process and relations on this island as best we can while, at the same time, ensuring that we can reassure other EU countries that Ireland is protecting the integrity of the Single Market that we all share The Taoiseach has referred to the conversations that have begun on that issue There was a meeting last Friday and those discussions will continue into this week. We must find a way to protect the Single Market’s integrity but also avoid physical infrastructure on the Border That is some- thing on which we do not have an agreed plan we are working this week, and into next week if necessary, in the context