Mr. Mickey Brady:

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I represent a Border constituency in Newry and Armagh. Large numbers of people travel into the Twenty-six Counties every day from Newry and Armagh, particularly south Armagh. There is one difficulty that people will have. Currently we have a low-wage economy so a large number of people who work in the South claim tax credits that are a British benefit. There are major issues with that for various reasons. People working in the South who claim tax credits become what are called complex cases, and they become more complex daily. I cannot envisage they will become less complex if and when Brexit happens.

The other difficulty is that under European Union regulations, contributions are transferable employment contributions. If somebody does not have enough, he or she claims the likes of child benefit or sickness benefit, especially where he or she works. That will again raise major problems. If there are not enough contributions, such people may have to claim the likes of income support or the universal credit, if that ever happens, which is highly unlikely the way things are going now. It will create major problems for large numbers of people daily. We can speak about travel and tariffs but people will be affected in their lives every day.

Senator Ó Donnghaile has raised the issue that as we have Irish passports, we will be European citizens, but what happens to the medical protection? That was not addressed during the course of referendum campaign and afterwards. It seems the British Government did not have a plan A and it certainly does not have a plan B, which is part of the difficulty. I have worked in the advice sector for many years and European protection is all that has come in. The Tories, as history will prove, are intent on undermining employment rights, particularly union rights and the right to strike. What happens in that respect? That will come down the line to us as days go on.