Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Brennan and Mr. Hamill for their comprehensive document. As we have all stated numerous times, we are discussing a moving target. One can only plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Currency has often been mentioned. Currency, and how the markets read it, may be the key determinant of how Brexit works out for us, be that good, bad or indifferent. Anyone who supplies into the UK is vulnerable, as evidenced by the case of the mushroom suppliers Deputy Cahill mentioned. Following the referendum when sterling nosedived and our mushroom suppliers were tied into fixed-term annual or biannual contracts with sterling prices, there was little sympathy from their customers. They just had to live with their contracts. Given what might happen, how are relationships in Ireland between companies and their customers?

I presume that any company here supplying the UK does not have a fixed contract based on the sterling price beyond next March. It would be prudent to write up a contract up until March and then see what happens. With that in mind, could companies inadvertently find themselves in no man's land on 1 April, even if we have a soft Brexit? Are many contracts due to expire at the end of March, which would be prudent under the circumstances?

We are hearing many reports at the moment of stockpiling of non-perishables in the UK. Are Irish producers in the non-perishable sector reporting dramatic increases in sales? Even if we have a soft Brexit, one can only sell a product once and in that case, could they then face a dip in sales in the middle of 2019? When Bord Bia goes on trade missions and signs trade deals, how solid are those deals? Deputy Cahill mentioned the displacement of product in other EU countries. If other member states go scouring the world as Bord Bia has been doing, how rock solid are the deals that we have, particularly the relatively new ones?

Brexit aside, I would like to hear the views of the witnesses on Food Wise 2025 targets and markets. Will primary producers reach the target of €19 billion in sales and will Bord Bia keep abreast of the increased production? Are the targets and the markets in sync with one another?