Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Patterson, Mr. Blaney and Mr. Conway for their excellent presentations. Like Deputy Smith, coming from a Border constituency, I empathise with and realise the difficulties Brexit has brought upon us. It is important to acknowledge Justin McNulty, MP, MLA, and Peter McEvoy, who are in the Gallery. They are interested in today's proceedings.

Little did I think when I entered Dáil Éireann as a first-time Deputy this year and was appointed to work with cross-Border bodies and issues pertaining to North-South co-operation that I would find myself thinking Brexit might happen. That was until I went to canvass in Newry, at which point I saw we would be building on the progress made over the past 20 to 25 years on the collaborative approach to which Mr. Patterson and others have referred. I have spent much time thinking about this. I grew up at a time when we had our backs to each other on the Border. We began to face each other and then, over recent years and prior to 25 June, we were very much shoulder to shoulder. Having spent 25 years on a local authority, I know much of this concentration was on attempts to build on uncontentious issues, be it tourism or green energy, and this spirit of co-operation. It is startling to read the passport statistics, which show there has been a 46% increase over a two-year period in passport applications from the North. That speaks for itself.

Regarding the issue of free movement of people, the only figures we have on this are for 2011. They are based on the CSO book to which Senator Landy and I referred. I do not believe the statistics. It is interesting that figures ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 are being bandied around, and I think Deputy Smith referred to this. The figures we have from the CSO indicate that 8,295 residents of Ireland in 2011 were in full-time education or employment in Northern Ireland and that 6,456 residents of Northern Ireland were in full-time education or employment in Ireland. We can talk anecdotally about the figures. My experience from visiting the local authority offices of Louth County Council or schools, to which Deputy Smith referred, is that the degree of movement is much greater than these figures would suggest. I referred earlier while we were in private session to the need perhaps to upgrade the statistics for Northern Ireland to engage better to understand the situation.

Will Mr. Conway comment on the statistic regarding Warrenpoint Port? He stated that 48% of goods either go to or come from the South. I am interested to know what percentage is going either way. Will he refer to this in his response? I have referred to things that could be done despite the difficulties of Brexit. Our broadband service is one example. I am sure in the insurance industry or anywhere else there is an essential need for proper broadband services. We have had major problems with our train services. While I know the witnesses represent individual groups, be they representing industry, enterprise or port company businesses, connectivity is important. Will the witnesses comment on this connectivity and how we might ensure post Brexit that this shoulder-to-shoulder approach continues and that we hold hands and ensure the all-island economy is not affected? I ask the witnesses to comment on these wider issues.

People move from one place to another. Deputy Smith was in America last week, as he said. The witnesses have travelled to various places. I have been in Stormont. We have been to the Houses of Commons, at which presentations were made. Lord Jay of the House of Lords has presented to us. We are all talking but in a vacuum. Road hauliers, for example, a number of whom I have met in the North, talk about the dearth of and difficulty in getting people into the business because of a lack of numbers. In the farming community, there is a need for fruit pickers to be brought in as many people in Ireland will not take up such menial tasks.

It was interesting that Mr. Patterson referred to co-operation in the health services. I was party to the re-signing of the Ballyconnell agreement, which brought in co-operation and working together between the health services in the North and South. This was important in the development of our health services. Mr. Patterson gave the example of cardiac services in the North. I have had personal experience of the degree of trauma and the surgery involved in these services as well as the seamless movement across the Border of people involved in these services. Equally, I have spent a long time considering Dundalk Institute of Technology. Reference was made to the number of Chinese students and the difficulty in ensuring seamless progress in education.

The more people come to us with a southern perspective and put forward their cases, the more we can develop this all-island economy regardless of Brexit. We must be positive and ensure both economies, North and South, are protected and enhanced. I thank the witnesses for their excellent presentations. The more such presentations we have, the better.