Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending. I will focus on Brexit. The Minister outlined a number of measures in his statement which, by the way, we received only 14 minutes before the meeting commenced. It would have been preferable to get it a little sooner. On the sector-specific supports the Government is going to put in place, the events at Salzburg last week have raised more concerns about the potential for a no-deal Brexit. I understand that we are preparing for that possible eventuality and hoping it does not happen. Even if there is a deal with a free-trading arrangement with the UK, we are still looking at a drop in GDP, going by the Copenhagen report, of up to 4% and a reduction in exports of 3.5%. If the UK reverts to World Trade Organization rules, we are looking at exports going down by 7% and a loss in wages of nearly 9%.

There are huge risks to our economy in the very near future. While I welcome the fact that the Government is increasing our fiscal buffers to provide a rainy day fund, which is Fianna Fáil policy, it is a longer-term strategy whereas Brexit is next year. I am particularly concerned about the agrifood sector which stands to be affected most. Yesterday, I met Enterprise Ireland which is doing a great deal of work to help Irish companies diversify their markets. Even that agency acknowledges, however, that not every product will have the same capacity to move markets. Areas outlined included beef and mushrooms. We are looking at a potential drop in beef exports, even with a free-trading arrangement, of up to 18% and at the same drop in dairy exports. These are huge impacts on our agricultural sector and on agrifoods. As with many other Deputies, I met IFA representatives today. They are looking for specific supports in this budget, in particular €200 per suckler cow and access to low-cost credit. There must be a specific focus on the sectors most affected. Even with minor changes, these sectors will be affected massively. I ask the Minister what plans he has for sector-specific supports for agrifood and whether he will publish details of his contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit. I have submitted a freedom of information request on behalf of my party, which was rejected, appealed and rejected again. Will the Minister, therefore, provide us with the information on his contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit?