That is what was initially proposed but I anticipate that the Taoiseach will raise this issue at the European Council next week.

I am not sure of the exact breakdown of it but I suppose that detail will be available before next week and before the Taoiseach goes to the European Council. In discussions with my European colleagues I have flagged our concern about the allocation method and the fact that it is clearly a screenshot of a much healthier looking economy or environment than where we are now. As I said, we have specifically raised the need for that flexibility to respond to any Brexit scenario or shock later this year and I believe th…

I will come back to the Deputy on that.

My understanding is that we are not at that stage but the process has started. As soon as we can relay that information, we will do so.

While I am not saying it is impossible, I am not as optimistic that we will secure the close and comprehensive deal we would like. I would not say that the UK is backtracking on what has been agreed but we have not seen enough information thus far to know that the protocol can be fully implemented. I certainly welcome the fact that the UK has published a paper and that it has said that there will need to be checks on certain goods moving into Northern Ireland from the UK. I welcome the progress that has been made i…

What was agreed in respect of the Northern Ireland protocol has been set out very clearly. It is not open to reinterpretation or change; it is there to be implemented. The protocol goes into great detail as to what needs to be done and as to how it can be implemented to ensure that not only the integrity of the Single Market is protected, but also relations on this island. The UK has presented this paper as an initial position. It is not set in stone and, as I have said, it will not necessarily be the final documen…

All I can do is repeat that the Commission is very clear as to what needs to be implemented. As to any attempt, if that is what it is, I am not saying that is what it is. The UK has said it is committed to implementing the Northern Ireland protocol in full. We are very clear how that can be done and what needs to be done to do that. This is a document produced by the UK. It is not the document that was agreed. There is a clear legal document as to how this can be implemented and we now need the UK to do that. Any a…

I understand it will not be on the agenda because there is such a focus on the MFF and reaching an agreement on the Next Generation EU fund. However, Michel Barnier will brief the General Affairs Council, which I and the Tánaiste will attend next week, and there is also to be a high level conference or meeting with the UK by the end of this month, separate from any European Council meeting. There certainly will be a meeting this month but it is unlikely to be discussed at the European Council. There will be an enga…

To reassure the Deputy, the high-level conference that is due to take place is at European level. It will be discussed and this will allow for it to be discussed in greater detail instead of, perhaps, trying to cram everything into the normal meeting. The MFF and the Next Generation EU fund will probably take up the vast majority of the overall agenda.

As the Ceann Comhairle rightly just said, this is a matter for negotiations which are obviously ongoing.

I reiterate last week's comments by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as the Attorney General's advice, that this legislation is not compatible with EU law. The Tánaiste has done more work in this area than many Ministers before him. The Government must take the advice of the Attorney General, however. We have been informed that it is not compatible with EU law. There are other ways and mechanisms through which we can find a solution. However, this is not one. If the Deputy is asking …

I wish I had that power.

No.

Securing an effective UK land bridge is a priority for us and has been throughout these negotiations, given our current position and our geographical position. As the Deputy mentioned, the UK's accession to the Convention on common transit is welcome. That will allow EU goods and Irish goods to transit through the UK without undergoing many of the customs import and export formalities on entry to and exit from the UK. This issue is discussed regularly. We have presented a paper to our colleagues in France, Belgium,…

I might read this document because substantial work has been done and it is important to put it on the record. It is probably one of the most visual elements of the preparations that we have done over the past while. Significant work has gone in to preparing us for a no-deal Brexit and for the fact that Brexit will mean change, even with a comprehensive future relationship. Work is complete on a number of facilities in Dublin Port, including 24 inspection bays, an additional Revenue turnaround shed, eight seal, che…

I may have to respond to the Deputy in the same way as I did to Deputy Kenny by saying this is an issue for the negotiation of the programme for Government. I will pass on the issues he has raised and try to get some form of response.

I thank the Deputy. As has been outlined by many people today, several sectors are most likely to be hardest hit by Brexit and are already feeling the implications of Brexit and the uncertainty that surrounds it. The farming community is probably the most likely to be hardest hit, particularly if there is no trade deal and there is an imposition of tariffs and additional costs and challenges in trading with the UK. Acknowledging that, throughout this process we have tried to ensure we have engaged with all the farm…

I support Deputy Healy-Rae's statement that the farming community has been the backbone of many of our rural communities for many years. We are an exporting country. We export approximately 90% of what we produce, including high-quality food. It is important that we continue in that vein. We all have ambitions when it comes to achieving and reaching climate change targets, none more so than our farmers who have always been the custodians of our land. We must ensure in any programme for Government and any negotiatio…

On the question of fisheries, there has never been any leaving of the fold and fisheries is very much a part of the overall negotiations and cannot, and will not, be separated from them. Michel Barnier made that very clear in a statement he made in advance of the most recent round of negotiations which started last week.

The position is clear. Mr. Barnier reiterated in advance of the most recent negotiations that he has a clear mandate from the 27 member states that fisheries cannot be separated from the overall negotiations and an overall agreement cannot be reached without an agreement on fisheries. That position was made clear by Mr. Barnier and the 27 ministers who represent the industry. On the Deputy's question about backsliding on behalf of the EU, I can absolutely assure him and other Deputies that the EU is four-square beh…