Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations. As has been rightly said, this issue has been flogged to death. As such, it is difficult to come up with new questions. At Question Time last week in the Dáil I raised the question of whether it would be timely to have a review of the Food Wise 2025 strategy and its impact. We should be cautionary at this stage rather than rush ahead pell-mell. We might not like what Mr. Power had to say - more often than not I disagree with him - but we must take cognisance of what people like him have to say. This will not be a walk in the park. Whether it is a hard or a soft Brexit, as we all desire, there will be consequences. It is important that there be a review of where we are and that farmers be made aware of the realities to ensure they will not end up being led into financial difficulties that could be ruinous.

Deputy Jackie Cahill and others referred to the impact on the dairy sector.

Of course, it is accepted that the impact on the beef sector will be more devastating. Has any thought been given to that matter?

I accept Macra na Feirme's assertion that we all must wear the green jersey. That is important and there is no doubt that this committee will make its input, insofar as it can. However, while we can get representatives of all parties to acknowledge the issue and bring forward the submissions the committee has heard in recent weeks, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the negotiations will be led primarily by the European Union. That is the big bugbear. How do the delegates see us intervening and having an input at a national level? I know that the Taoiseach will be representing Ireland. He will be representing all of us; it will not be party political, nor should it be, as we are all on the one side. The Taoiseach has allies, but, as Mr. Power said, there were many allies in 2011 and we saw where that got us. It went down the tubes and there was not much sympathy for us. We carried a load for which the European Union was directly responsible in its promotion of cheap money policies and so on.

How do the agrifood and fisheries sectors see us doing what has been suggested in the four very well researched presentations, all of which were excellent? How will we get to the point where there is a soft Brexit, in the process preserving the common travel area, ensuring vital sanitary and veterinary regulations are retained and that we will have an all-Ireland animal health policy, as spoken about by Mr. Comer? This policy has proved very worthwhile in achieving our brucellosis status, etc.

The UK market of 65 million people will be lost to the European Union. There are some 6 million people on the island of Ireland. What is the opinion of the industry representatives on the negotiations that will continue for two years? Last week, according to the British Prime Minister, they would continue for about two years but yesterday there was talk about a transitional arrangement of at least four years, which is very optimistic. I have always said it will take five years or more. It took Greenland, a small country, three years to disengage from the European Union. Who is codding who? There are thousands of multilateral agreements to be considered. If work was to start on them tonight, it would not be finished in two years. It is time people stopped talking nonsense. I can confidently say there will be a new Government in Ireland before Brexit is finalised. I am not saying the Government will not last, but in time there will be a new Government. That is the scenario and I agree that the longer it continues the more uncertainty it will create. The only point on which everyone can agree is that the grave uncertainty will continue and as long as it continues, I agree totally that it will be bad news for everybody.

All of the representatives from the industries have put forward good ideas, but how can we have our voice heard in the process? It must be remembered that there are 26 other member states that must be satisfied, not counting the United Kingdom. Mr. Barnier will be involved in the negotiations. While he has indicated that he recognises Ireland's position, the point is, as mentioned by Mr. Jim Power, that the European Union will not be shy about teaching lessons and sending signals that it does not want the European project to disintegrate. That is the problem. Ireland should get a good deal, but will the political environment in the European Union permit it? That is the question.