Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our two guests this morning and thank them for their comprehensive presentation.

As is well known at this stage in the Brexit discussion, the only certainty is the uncertainty. Several other witnesses and external commentators have touted the idea of Northern Ireland getting special status. In that hypothetical scenario of an all-Ireland agricultural model, we would think we have got a good deal. When all is done and dusted, it would potentially solve many of the problems which my colleague, Senator Joe O’Reilly, highlighted with regard to the flow of milk, live cattle and so forth between North and South. However, delving into it, Republic of Ireland farmers would still be in the CAP scenario. If it were an east-west border between Ireland and the UK, there would still be tariffs on products from the Republic going to the UK but none on Northern products as it would still be part of the UK, irrespective of its new status within the European model. Potentially we may have to create our own agricultural border if Northern Ireland gets special status to avoid the hard Border because of the Good Friday Agreement.

While I accept this is all hypothetical, it is potentially one possible outcome. Will Teagasc tease this out a little more and give us an insight into what it thinks its organisation's role would be in that complicated all-island agricultural model after Brexit?

Using the cheddar example and new markets, it is not just the Chinese who do not have a palate for cheddar cheese. Our continental European friends are not lovers of it either. The UK is a specific market for this product. Other products have been affected too, such as the mushroom sector which was affected immediately. Due to the perishability factor, mushrooms cannot be exported to China. While we have always explored creating new markets, no knee-jerk reaction in the world because of the current situation with Brexit will make a further afield market viable. Where does Teagasc seeing us going in that situation?