Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Morrow for his detailed paper. As Dr. McDonnell said, he laid out the huge issues facing the entire island and the EU. He mentioned the community groups he met at the cross-Border study centre. I have witnessed the impact of Brexit, particularly on SMEs in the Border region, because of currency fluctuation. That uncertainty has kicked in. I attended a conference recently where an economist said we had time to prepare for Brexit but we do not. It has had an adverse impact already. People who had plans for expansion in the agrifood sector in my area have put them on the back burner because of the uncertainty rewarding trading arrangements and currency fluctuation.

The Ministers for Public Expenditure and Reform and Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Northern Ireland Minister of Finance, Mr. O'Muilleoir, appeared before the committee to discuss funding for INTERREG or PEACE programme cross-Border studies and so on, and, along with other committee members, I made the point that there is a significant lead-in period for these programmes and a great deal of preparatory work needs to be done by applicants, be they community groups or statutory agencies at local level. The lack of knowledge and the uncertainty about funding for these programmes post-2020 has knocked the morale and the stuffing out of some community groups that should now be conducting feasibility studies and preparatory work and that is a problem. Dr. Morrow referred to a good study on the potential implications for communities throughout the North and the need to have a better message about longevity and an assurance about continued funding from Europe and both Governments. The INTERREG and PEACE programmes are 85% funded by Europe with the remaining 15% provided by the national Governments. Damage has been done in this regard.

Dr. Morrow said the Agreement will be discarded. It is most unfortunate that the importance and the centrality of the Agreement did not feature more in the referendum debate, which was more about pounds, shillings and pence. Who is not guilty of going that road? There is more concern and awareness about this than there was a year ago. First Vice-President of the Commission, Mr. Timmermans, attended a joint sitting of this committee and the European affairs and foreign affairs committees and, in fairness to him, he made strong statements about his understanding of the importance of the Agreement. He said it was an iconic agreement of which the EU should be proud given it played an important role in it and it is also an international agreement lodged with the UN. It will be frightening for democracies if an agreement lodged with the UN, which was voted for overwhelmingly throughout the island - 94% in the Republic and more than 70% in Northern Ireland - is discarded. That was the first time we had the opportunity to vote on one question on the one day since 1918. Surely there is huge merit in us advocating the importance of the Agreement and the fact that it was overwhelmingly endorsed by the people with the two sovereign Governments as co-guarantors and that it was lodged with the UN. We probably have to focus more to that and ensure it is not discarded. The comments of Vice-President Timmermans were some of the best I have heard from any person outside the island regarding the Agreement. Mr. Hilary Benn and some of his colleagues understood the importance of it when they appeared before the committee.

Dr. Morrow mentioned the civic element of public life in Northern Ireland but, regrettably, the civic forum was not re-established. The current and previous chairmen of this committee have made a huge effort to invite groups before it from Northern Ireland that believed they had nobody representing them and they were given a forum here. I am sure they will continue to be given that. Dr. Morrow has presented an exceptionally good paper. Many issues have to be of concern to us. It is not easy for us to provide the answers. We can outline what lines cannot be crossed. I am delighted he has focused strongly on the importance of ensuring the Agreement is not diminished in any way. During the previous Dáil, Senator Feighan was the chairman of the committee and Dr. McDonnell and Mr. Brady were in attendance at meetings where we highlighted the fact that the potential of the Agreement was not being maximised. Now we are trying to batten down the hatches and retain what we have.