Mr. Chris Hazzard:

What I would say is that, to a large extent, there is a real dilemma for participative democracies throughout the western world. Some of the political developments we have seen, without going into details, during the past five or six years are the effects of globalisation, the effects of the approach of austerity which the Deputy mentioned, and of a neoliberal elite who are finally seeing the tail come back to lash out. The Deputy is right in what she said. It is incumbent upon all Europeans to reflect on this. The European project is looking at itself in the mirror, so to speak, as it stands at a crossroads in terms of what its future will be. I am pretty sure the people of Ireland want there to be a particular way forward, and that is what we are keen to work towards.

To follow up on the previous point, there is some commentary and rhetoric around the idea that there are opportunities for some industries and opportunities are being flagged, but all will be revealed. I do not buy into it, but I know one thing for sure in my Department and that is that there are no opportunities to be gained out of any type of Brexit. We are talking about the movement of people, goods and services. Even the smallest change to how the Border operates currently in terms of any hardening of it will be a negative. The only positive will be the removal of the Border, but that is a discussion for another day.

I met representatives of the haulage industry yesterday. We have European drivers returning home. This is happening already. The disadvantages in the context of processes we are talking about are happening already. In the North alone we have a shortage of thousands of haulage drivers which will create a major problem for our economy in the future. In terms of the ports and access through the Border, we have seen rapid development in the ports in Dublin and Cork lately, much of which has been helped and enhanced by European membership. Belfast wants to keep up and to do its bit, but that will be increasingly difficult outside of the European project.

I agree with much of what the Deputy said. There are many disenfranchised people who are beginning to stand up and speak out. People believe in a European project but the project we have seen in recent years is not something they could get behind.