Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would not be an expert on any area of Brexit. However, the general feeling on the ground is that there was enormous anxiety and worry across the transport and farming sectors in respect of food safety and all of that. I acknowledge that the Department seems to have done a good job. It was in uncertain territory. When one is dealing with people who change their minds even after they have negotiated something, it could have gone very differently. The State, agriculture and especially the agrifood sector could have been badly hit. Mr. Gleeson has a better overview than I have but it has taken up a huge amount of the time and resources of the Department over the past six years to try to manage and corral the fallout, and try to ensure the pieces of the jigsaw fit in. I acknowledge that. That is the message I am hearing. We always tell people what is wrong. People come to us when they see problems. Over the past year or so, things seem to be bedding in.