Leo Varadkar to share Government plans for hard Brexit

The move comes after it emerged that a Brexit stakeholders’ forum will receive the briefing papers about legislative details on Thursday.

During leaders’ questions, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin accused the Taoiseach of treating the Irish parliament in a “very shabby and dismissive manner”.

“It’s not good enough. You have to acknowledge that potentially up to 45 pieces of legislation could be required in the event of a hard Brexit. Some statutory instruments, some regulation and some primary legislation.

“Since when did the stakeholders’ forum take precedence over Dail Eireann in matters of legislation?” Mr Martin asked.

“Why isn’t the Government willing to inform the Dail in a timely matter about all of this and surely detailed briefing papers containing the legislative measures should be published and presented to the house?”

The Fine Gael leader said he will publish his party’s plans for a hard Brexit after the European Commission publishes notices for a no-deal scenario.

“It’s reasonable to say that Brexit is a major threat for Ireland and a major threat to our economy and to our rights and freedoms as citizens and could have major implications for peace and security on our island,” he added.

“In terms of preparing for Brexit this is a work in progress, it’s a work in progress this week, it will still be in January.

“This evening, cabinet will be given a copy of a document on our plans which follow on from that. Tomorrow (Thursday) there will be a briefing with Brexit stakeholders and the opposition parties.

“Our major and overriding objective is to ensure we don’t end up in a no-deal scenario and that’s why we are continuing to work with our European partners to secure the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement.

“This is a dynamic situation and we are very happy to update spokespeople tomorrow and we have to have the commissioned documents out today.”

Mr Martin said it was a “scandalous and a disgraceful treatment” of the Dail.

“I find it incredible what you have just said,” he added.

“It’s work in progress, but the Dail is the last place to know about it.

“It seems to me that events have been choreographed to prevent the Dail having any meaningful debate on Brexit preparedness, particularly in the context of a hard Brexit.

“Tomorrow is not a parliamentary forum. There is talk about emergency legislation required and you don’t have basic courtesy to give us a detailed paper of what that might entail.

“What’s the big deal, what’s the secrecy, why the secrecy? Is it about controlling the message?

“There is no reason why this material can’t be given to Dail deputies this evening. It’s matter of basic respect to the house. Stop treating people with disrespect. The Dail has been very fair on Brexit.”

Mr Varadkar denied it was about secrecy, saying it was about “sequencing”.

He told Mr Martin he has not seen the finished paper, but added he will share it with other members of the Dail once he and his Cabinet had read it on Wednesday.