Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to hear that as I have been making that point. It is not only tourism where the north west will be hit hardest but also manufacturing, along with the south east.

I refer to the customs checks which will arise in the context of a no-deal Brexit and that the Government is now discussing with the Commission. The Taoiseach has stated that checks will be required near the Border. Has the Minister factored this into his estimates for 2019 or 2020? Can he give the committee and indication of how many different locations there might be in close proximity to the Border, or near the Border as the Taoiseach said, where they would have to be set up? Can he speak on the employment of the personnel needed to carry these checks out? I ask this question while mindful of my complete disagreement with the idea of customs checks. It must be resisted by the Government. It will harden the Border on the island of Ireland, it undermines the Good Friday Agreement and serious consequences arise from it. However, my questions are from a budgetary perspective, that is, on the cost associated with the personnel to man them and the number of checks that will be required near the Border. I know none of this is nailed down now but will the Minister give an indication of what we face?