Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have questions for both groups of witnesses. I will start with the IFA. I welcome the presentation. In 2016, the UK voted to leave. In the view of the witnesses, did the Government, Bord Bia and even the IFA prepare and fight hard enough at that stage for what was coming down the road? From the word go, we were told about all the pitfalls. Mr. Cullinan said that he made it very clear to the European Union that a deal was going to be done at the expense of Irish farmers. In a no-deal Brexit, Irish farmers are going to need all the support they can get. It is frightening to think that we are waiting until the eleventh hour to make that point clear to both the European Union and to England.

The witnesses mentioned that we export 44% of beef, 40% of cheese, 100% of mushrooms, pig meat and lamb. Will any particular sector be affected most by Brexit that would need more Government supports than others? What way will farms have to change in order to deal with the demands of the environment due to Brexit? Are we looking at the development of large-scale farms, which will severely affect small Irish farmers? The likelihood is that the farming landscape will change. What are the views of the witnesses on that?

The following questions are for the INHFA. In talking about the development of ports, reference was made to how politicians and the national media have been primarily focused on Dublin Port, to the detriment of the ports in Cork and Rosslare. To what extent are we undervaluing and underutilising these other ports? Are the transport routes to these ports adequate? Do the witnesses have any suggestions on developing transport across the country to facilitate the new way of doing business after Brexit, such as getting to the ports? The Chairman is aware that one of the biggest worries in Tipperary is that all the extra traffic will go through Tipperary town and that the N24 will not be able to cope. My concern is that a small town in Tipperary is going to start getting extra traffic that is going to the ports.

Has there been progress on the proposal to develop the naturally reared suckler brand? That was suggested by the beef task force. Surely that would be something worth pursuing, regardless of the prospect of Brexit.