Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for their presentation, which is one of a number of presentations to have shown us the possible damage that Brexit can do. The kinds of issues that have been raised today were certainly not being considered when people were voting on Brexit in 2016. I know that InterTradeIreland's research is informing its work, but I would like to know whether that research has gone anywhere else. Has the UK Government, for example, been influenced by it in any way?

I can understand where companies are coming from when they complain that it is difficult to plan for something when they do not know exactly what it will be. Will there be a hard Brexit, a soft Brexit or another referendum? The number of people who have taken up the offer of help at this point is interesting. Do the witnesses envisage that more people will look for such help? Do they have the capacity to help more companies with their planning? Is it the case that the harm being done to the agrifood business can already be seen?

Reference was made to high-level visitors from EU partners. What sort of response was received when those meetings took place?