In the weeks before the February 2016 General Election, the journalist Vincent Browne hosted a number of ‘Questions & Answers’ events in constituencies around the country. For Dublin Central, Browne mediated a variety of questions from a large audience at the Skylon Hotel in Drumcondra. Before the candidates arrived on stage, he invited topics for debate from the lively crowd. Hesitatingly, I offered one which drew a weary response from the host. With the Brexit referendum looming but the consensus certain it would fail, he confidently dismissed my Brexit suggestion with the words, ‘I’m not wasting time on that…sure it’ll…