Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. McGrane for the presentation and for the work that he does. He stressed the importance of how there is still a market for exporting cheddar from Ireland to the UK. I think in the interests of harmony I might avoid asking any questions around the need to expand cheddar infrastructure in Ireland. Can I talk about one area in which I have an interest, and where the British Irish Chamber of Commerce has done a lot of work, which is the common education and research ecosystem? I know Mr. McGrane has spoken a lot about a research corridor that would operate North-South. This committee will be making recommendations to Government on policy areas to follow through. We have obviously had Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, before us. First, will Mr. McGrane outline the specific measures he thinks that we need to take to enhance those areas of co-operation in higher education and research? The second question I would like to ask - and Mr. Grane has already referred to it - refers to the twin challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit.

Had we been talking 18 months ago, Brexit would have been the big political issue. Many of us would have preferred that it was the biggest political issue but Covid-19 has taken over. Brexit has, in many ways, slipped down the news agenda. In the context of both the national recovery plan, which is currently being prepared, and the budget, which is planned for the end of the year, are there specific measures Mr. McGrane believes to be necessary in order to be able to support businesses to mitigate the effects of Brexit, but also that will look at ways that will enhance Irish-British trade?