Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Murphy, his officials and the representatives from the embassies here today. I heard a great report on his visit to Brussels last week. I had planned to go and even had my airline ticket booked but unfortunately circumstances prevented me from going. The meetings were in very good hands and I have heard excellent reports about the meetings that took place. At a meeting of this committee the Minister of State recommended that we travel as a group to Brussels. His proposal was implemented by the committee and he was also able to attend as well. As he will know, I was in Malta to represent the chair of this committee.

I am convinced that there should be a dedicated Brexit Minister. I have no problem with the Minister of State taking up the role. Like Britain, we should have a section of a Department to deal with Brexit. The Prime Minister, Theresa May, is not the Brexit Minister and the President of the Commission does not deal with the negotiations. I feel that the appointment of a Brexit Minister will happen in the not too distant future. Fianna Fáil has laid it on the line by appointing a spokesperson on Brexit. We should have a one-stop-shop unit in Dublin that is dedicated to dealing with and processing everything to do with Brexit. It would be useful for us to have a unit that an organisation like the IFA, other organisations, business people, investors or exporters could approach to discuss Brexit. Too many people have their fingers in the pie. It is unfair on the Taoiseach that he has to be so engaged with the minute details of Brexit. Of course he and the Cabinet have the overall responsibility. As I have suggested before, it would be easy to amalgamate the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is quite nonsensical in a small country like ours to have two different Departments, one dealing with raising funds while the other deals with expenditure. The measure was introduced to satisfy the Labour Party that formed part of the last Government. It is not a requirement for this Government but that debate is another day's work. In terms of Brexit, it is important that anything that can be done should be done.

I have heard a report but I do not know whether it is accurate that the Government, or some part of the Government, is considering recreating the customs posts at the Border. The issue was reported in some newspaper that I read in the past few days.

I am greatly concerned about that report. That is something we should never concede at the beginning of negotiations. We could never consider initiating it or conceding that point because we must have an open border. I am unsure whether the people present are aware of the situation or whether the Revenue is looking at it.

Senator Craughwell made some good points. As part of the preparation for Brexit we must increase and expand our exports to mainland Europe through France. We have a direct route from Rosslare. That is important. We have roll-on, roll-off ferry facilities and the whole question of availability and speed arises. That is in the transport area but all Departments should feed in to one major overall plan.