Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Commissioner for a very comprehensive presentation. I will try to be succinct with a number of points. Given we are seeing rising tensions in the North, we may yet see an election there and we are moving towards the marching season, does it make sense to look at a negotiated extension of the grace period? Related to that, and the Commissioner's point about building trust is very valid, what long-term mechanisms should we put in place to ensure trust is built between the various parties? The fear is that it will be sausages this month and chicken nuggets the next. There will always be an issue that may be used for political reasons.

My second question is on an issue that has come up regularly before this committee - it relates to flour and we heard it yesterday on whiskey and dairy - which is flexibility around rules of origin. Does the Commissioner have views on that issue?

As the Commissioner is aware, the UK and Australia are due to sign a trade deal today, which is the first of the non-rollover trade deals. What impact will this have on Ireland, North and South, particularly on Irish agriculture? Does she believe it says something about the kind of trade deals the UK wants to negotiate into the future?