Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise two further issues, one of which relates to the common transit area. What is the position of the Irish Government on the way in which the United Kingdom is used as a land bridge, as such, for Irish exporters accessing markets across the rest of the European Union? While tariffs may not apply, a very significant administrative burden could be placed on companies that are having to deal with that issue.

My final question relates to the application of state-aid rules within the UK post-Brexit. There is a concern within the business community here that if the UK will be free of the constraints of EU state-aid rules, in many respects it will be in a position to compete unfairly for businesses with Ireland and other EU countries because the State will be able to intervene and directly provide supports and subsidies to attract investment into the UK, which could have a very serious and direct knock-on consequence for Ireland. What is the Government's position on the common transit area and the application of state aid in the UK post-Brexit?