Dr. Martina Lawless:

We have not specifically examined the motor industry. It has been examined in quite some detail from the UK perspective, given concerns there that car parts and final cars attract a tariff of approximately 10%, which is one of the highest among all manufactured goods. There are concerns in the UK that much of that business might relocate to mainland Europe, which would have a significant impact.

Since Ireland does not have domestic manufacturing of cars, we have not examined that matter. I could see there being more of a re-orientation. If car manufacturing is moving from the UK to mainland Europe, there probably will be much more direct purchasing in Ireland of cars from mainland Europe versus the UK. That could involve an increase in costs, given that steering wheels would be on different sides and so on. What is being manufactured on mainland Europe is not identical to what is being manufactured in the UK. There is a potential knock-on in the form of increased costs for the Irish motor industry, but it is not one that we have examined in detail. The exposure is not quite on the same scale as that of agrifood.