Mr. Paul Lynam:

The Chairman asked what specific programme could protect our market share in the UK. Three or four years ago, Bord Bia introduced a marketing intensification programme grant for agrifood exporters to the UK so they would have a bit more money to market their product. We suggested retaining and expanding that grant in order that Irish companies already exporting to the UK would have an additional grant to improve their marketing presence and try to get their product from the bottom shelf to the top shelf, for want of a better phrase.

On the single access window, I watched the discussion the committee had with Revenue and the ports representatives, which was quite detailed. They spoke about GDPR, confidentiality and working more closely together. I sit on the customs consultative forum and there is certainly better collaboration between the different Departments and Revenue, which is most welcome.

The issue from businesses' perspective is that they have to deal with numerous agencies. A business would happily sign a GDPR waiver if it meant that it gave up its information once, so I do not necessarily think that has been a block. As an alternative, we have said that if one cannot have a single access window, then at least appoint some of the traders, especially larger traders, to a senior point of contact that they can deal with. One of the best things that we have had from a policy perspective for a business importing irregularly is the Brexit helpline, for want of a better term. One can email it and get a response to queries. That is not good for the truck that is held up at Dublin Port. It needs a point of contact that it can contact immediately to see what the issue is with paperwork and, if there was one, what the misunderstanding was between different Government agencies which are not passing it on.

A single access window is our first choice. If that cannot be done, can we have a senior official as the single point of contact for those businesses? They can contact that person straight away to say that their truck has been held up and it needs to be at Dunnes Stores in the next hour, what the given reasons are and that they do not accept it, or what the challenges and problems with the paperwork are. That is the feedback that we are getting from our members. If we cannot have a single access window, please give us a point of contact that we can work with.