Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Copenhagen economic report from the Department of Finance is probably a little out of date. The ESRI report was published just two days ago. It is more up to date and takes into account more recent research on the impacts of Brexit. That is more of a macroeconomic look at the impact on the economy and jobs but my question was more specifically on the chilling impact on business, particularly the SME sector, that Brexit is already having. The supports are tailored towards buffering companies that may be exporting to the UK and may have to make changes to their supply chains. There has not been analysis done on companies and businesses, particularly in the SME sector, dealing with a loss of consumer confidence and people holding back by not making purchases or signing new contracts. The two reports referred to by the Minister have not touched on this. It is not really their focus. Perhaps it is something for the Department to take a look at when Brexit stabilises. Brexit will be with us for quite some time and when it stabilises we should look at the chill factor it has had. I spoke to a manufacturing company based in Mayo and there are not too many of these types of jobs in rural constituency.