Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome both delegates and thank them for their insight into what is a vitally important sector in the context of Brexit. As Mr. Flynn rightly said, we must all hope for the best but plan for the worst. In the context of the worst case scenario, what provisions has FTA Ireland made? In terms of both importers and exporters, if the worst case scenario comes to pass, we have a hard Border and roll-on, roll-off operations using the UK as a land bridge become a nightmare, logistically and commercially, one of the alternative options might be lift-on, lift-off. If Mr. Flynn believes that there will be a big move in that direction, are our ports ready to handle that? If the best option, having done the analysis, is air freight, what is the position with our airports? Mr. Toland mentioned the traffic handling capacity of the north runway, but will there be enough capacity if there is a rush on air freight because it is logistically impossible to continue with roll-on, roll-off operations? Perhaps it is outside his brief, but does Mr. Flynn believe our ports are ready to handle potential increases in traffic?

This is a cross-party committee and, as such, it is apolitical. That said, my party and I agree that there is a need for a dedicated Minister for Brexit. We have been told that it is a decision for Government and that, at present, the Government believes it is better to have individual Ministers concentrating on their own briefs but with Brexit in mind. The argument is that people specialising in their own areas is a more effective or better model than having one person loaded with this entire problem. With that in mind, will the witnesses outline the contact they have had with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and also what feedback or vibes they have been getting from the Department in terms of where it is on the issue of Brexit?

In terms of the worst case scenario and a hard Border, Mr. Flynn referred to lorries travelling to Donegal or other locations in the north west. As he pointed out, the shortest route there is a straight line, which means entering and re-entering Northern Ireland. What contingency plans, if any, does the haulage industry have for such a scenario? This is an on-island issue and does not even concern exporters and importers. Has that been considered in the context of the worst case scenario, which we all hope will not happen?