Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the committee again and being forthright in the information made available to us. I will make two or three brief points. I refer to direct access to the Continent post-Brexit from the point of view of Irish exporters by way of Rosslare or other ports. Questions have been raised as to whether that might not be easy to do. I do not see any logistical reason that cannot happen. Do we have sufficient investment provisions put in place to ensure that Irish hauliers can get directly to the Continent as quickly as possible, thus bypassing the need to cross over into the UK, with the obvious delays that might occur?

On the €300 million future growth loan scheme, to what extent has that been accessed or is it being accessed by the various businesses throughout the country? Is it working, or will it work, satisfactory? Has sufficient evidence been gleaned at this stage to determine that?

It is important that we recognise the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. There has been a sort of revision in recent times to the effect that agricultural production should be scaled down to meet other requirements and so on. I believe it is possible to maintain both agricultural production and meeting carbon reduction requirements without damaging the agricultural sector.

I emphasise that there are thousands of people all over the globe, including children, who are dying of starvation. We must recognise that we have to be realistic. We have to ensure sufficient food is produced in order that we can make our contribution towards alleviating the ongoing threat of starvation.

Senator Craughwell needs to be careful about making provision for the creation of a border. We need to be careful that we do not create one. The position we have been forced into is one where, by virtue of its diplomatic provisions, the United Kingdom is effectively abolishing the Good Friday Agreement and all that it has stood for, which is extraordinary. It is a solemn agreement that was written and acceded to by several countries, including Canada and the United States of America, as well as by the European Union and others who made major contributions. All of this is to be set aside to follow a particular political path that nobody seems to understand. It saddens me that as eminent and powerful a body as the United Kingdom sees fit to set aside a solemn agreement of the nature of the Good Friday Agreement. Effectively, this is what is being attempted. Is it being reminded of the seriousness of the issue? It will have serious consequences for Europe and, particularly, Ireland, North and South. We need to be absolutely certain that we will not do that work for it by saying this is inevitable; we must not do it. The fact is that it decided what it wanted to do and it is pursuing it. Of course, it has other options. Far be it from me to try to tell our neighbours what they should do, but they could go back and hold another referendum. They say they cannot and will not do so, that the referendum result is sacrosanct, but it is as sacrosanct as everything else when it comes to negotiations. They could do so, but of what are they afraid? Are they afraid the result might be in the opposite direction? I am certainly of that opinion. It is so sad and worrying at this stage of our development to see a major European player such as the United Kingdom continuing in this direction, notwithstanding the indications of concern from the businesses and investment sectors. Some companies are moving out, while others are expressing their deep concerns at the potential disastrous consequences.

My last point relates to the European Union's cohesiveness. We welcome and thank our EU colleagues for their solid support. Without it there would be no sense in having any discussion at all and there would be no European Union either. If it starts to fragment or one brick is out of the wall, we must remember that its concept was thought of when Europe lay in flames and ashes. It was constructed in such a way to ensure we would not suffer the starvation of the past and as a result of member states deciding to take offence at each other and wage a war. The concept was well thought out by people who had forged their opinions from the very harsh reality of the experience from 1939 to 1945, one that should never be revisited. Everything possible needs to be done to ensure that will not happen. There are those who will dismiss all of these possibilities and say, "Not at all; that is never likely to happen again," but they are wrong. Man's inhumanity to man will continue forever. It has never been known to have been surpassed, until the next time when it gets worse.

Ireland has a role to play in what lies ahead. We have done well by our EU colleagues and I believe they have done well by us in recent times. It remains to be seen what will prevail hereinafter.