Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and agree with Mr. Sherry's strategy that it is good to prepare for a hard Brexit, while hoping that it will be otherwise. We very much hope that it will be otherwise, but it is nonetheless important to prepare for the worst. Coming from the Cavan-Monaghan region I am concerned about the implications of Brexit for a number of enterprises that Enterprise Ireland supports there. The implications could be devastating. I was reminded recently that Lakeland Dairies, a major milk processor in our area, sources quite an amount of milk North of the Border. Were customs duties and tariffs to come into play, they would inevitably be forced to create a new plant North of the Border with a dislocation of jobs in the South and extra levies on farmers to support that plant. If not, their suppliers would have to cope with customs duties and tariffs. That is the kind of dilemma that is being presented in our area.

I am interested in Mr. Sherry's figure that 225 companies or businesses with which Enterprise Ireland is involved are in the food sector.

I suspect many are in the Border region. Will Mr. Sherry comment on the number in the Border region? Will he outline what sort of practical supports that Enterprise Ireland can continue offering? What would he recommend to the Government in terms of support for these enterprises in the lead-up to Brexit and post Brexit? The obvious direction is the expansion of markets, and one of Enterprise Ireland's objectives is to achieve a 50% growth in exports outside the United Kingdom. I echo the question put by the Chairman. Where does Enterprise Ireland see the best possible locations to achieve this growth?

Is it the case that because of our fixation on business to China and it is a market with extraordinary potential, nobody questions the efficacy of that pursuit? Taiwan has a population of 24 million and is a prosperous and growing economy. We may be missing that market in our anxiety not to upset the Chinese. I understand that may not be the case for other European countries who trade freely with Taiwan, still trade with China and have a gateway from Taiwan to China. It is only one theatre of operations. I would be interested to learn where Enterprise Ireland would site the expansion of our exports, particularly in the food sector. I see the food sector taking the big hit in the Border region.

A point I made to a colleague is that we will not be able to replace the jobs in the small food enterprises as it will be difficult to locate other jobs in the small towns and villages in which these enterprises are based. This exacerbates the problem.

Would Mr. Sherry comment on the currency and how sterling impacts on the mushroom industry? The mushroom industry came under major threat from the sterling factor. What specific efforts can be made for that industry? Enterprise Ireland works sector by sector and company by company. My experience as a public representative of making introductions and dealing with Enterprise Ireland and firms that are working with Enterprise Ireland is very positive. I have heard nothing but good things.

Research and development are critical to deploying exports elsewhere and to diversification. Will Mr. Sherry expand on that and see how we can achieve more?