’This administration will be judged by generations to come on our handling of this issue.’

That’s the view of Chief Minister Howard Quayle who says he stands by his statement that Brexit will be the biggest challenge facing this government.

And a fourth interim report by the Council of Ministers on the implications for the island of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU shows just how big a challenge that will be - not least in terms of the legal implications.

Thousands of items of Manx legislation will have to reviewed and possibly amended in the wake of Brexit.

The Manx government says this is a priority task over the next two years and hundreds of laws have already been identified as being in need of attention.

Our relationship with the EU is set out in Protocol 3 to the Treaty of Accession. Through it, we have been part of the EU’s Customs Union and included in the Single Market for free trade in goods.

As British Premier Theresa May has now triggered Article 50, this means in turn that Protocol 3 will fall. This is set to happen on March 30, 2019. ’The clock is ticking,’ said Mr Quayle.

The UK’s Great Repeal Bill will be announced in the Queen’s Speech. But an Isle of Man Bill will also be required to repeal the 1973 European Communities (Isle of Man) Act and provide for EU legislation which falls under Protocol 3 to be incorporated in Manx law while allowing for orders and regulations made under the 1973 Act to continue in force.

Then there is a long list of EU secondary legislation which has a direct effect in the Isle of Man, and the Cabinet Office will need to sort through this to check which instruments have been superseded or amended and which need conversion to Manx law.

Officers are working with their colleagues in the other Crown Dependencies.

It’s a huge task as there are more than 20,000 EU laws currently in force and identifying which fall within the scope of Protocol 3 will be a ’significant step forward in being able to put the island on a sound footing prior to the date of final withdrawal from the EU,’ notes CoMin report.

No fewer than 10,908 EU legal instruments dating back over 30 years have been processed so far.

When it comes to primary legislation there are 64 Acts besides the European Communities Act which contain references to the EU. In some cases provisions may need only slight amendment or no changes at all.

But others, such a legislation relating to Customs and VAT are closely inter-linked with EU rules and will need detailed consideration informed not just by the withdrawal process but by the new relationship between the UK and EU.