Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The withdrawal agreement will result in a border in the Irish Sea. There will be a significant impact on imports and exports to and from the North if Brexit is followed by deviations between the British and Irish markets.

Will this result in a shift in the trading and economic relationships between the North and Britain and between the North and the South? How could policy responses from us help northern businesses to adjust to this change? While there is special status, as has been mentioned, there will be a significant barrier that will have a cost implication for east-west trade. I have seen some of the research done by the ESRI on the integration between the northern economy and Britain that was interesting and it probably dispels some of the myths about east-west trade being far more integrated than North-South trade. How do we deal with that? I come from a Border county and a place such as Derry or Strabane that is not functioning or has higher unemployment affects Donegal and vice versa, and as someone who believes in a united Ireland, I want the economy of Ireland to be thriving anyway. Does the ESRI have any view on that impact as a result of what is seen as the border in the Irish Sea and what could be done to help businesses to adjust to the changes that may be coming down the line?