Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 1 February 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Brexit Issues: British Irish Chamber of Commerce

10:00 am

Mr. Eoin O'Neill:

To finish up on those points, the Irish Government is currently running with two key initiatives that we support strongly. One is the initiative of the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, on the future strategy of Europe. We consider that an integral part of the debate and one which needs to be brought into it. To refer to Deputy Barrett's point earlier, it allows us to create a strong voice in that space on our role in Europe and we would be very supportive of it. We are also mindful that when this will be over, whatever way it finishes, we must have a sustained and long-term working relationship with the UK. It is our biggest single market and where a significant number of Irish people live and ply their trade on a daily basis. The air corridor between Dublin and London is the second busiest in the world. We send the equivalent of the full population of Wembley Stadium to London on a plane once a week. The reality is that this will continue and business will continue to transact. What the working relationship looks like will be hugely important and the chamber will play an integral role in that discussion, too.

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