Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome both the witnesses. I found the information and the statistics presented to us quite startling. From a business perspective, I am just trying to get into the shoes of the Northern Ireland company that found, through Brexit, it was difficult to trade on the mainland, a term some would like to use. Trade has been increased with the Republic on the same island. From a profit perspective, one would imagine it would be more profitable for those same Northern Ireland companies to be trading on the same island, from the cost of getting goods across the Irish Sea. Was that business always there? Is it only now they are realising that business was always there? One would imagine, from a business and cost-analysis perspective, the closer to home one's market is, the more desirable and profitable that would be. What are the witnesses' opinion on that aspect?

When one looks at Northern Ireland post-Brexit, one would imagine the best of both worlds, as Dr. Lawless already stated, in that it can have unencumbered trade with the UK and any trade deals the UK may sign up to going forward and trade within the EU. I do not know if that penny has dropped yet with some people in Northern Ireland. It would appear to have serious potential.

The only downside to that is this ongoing dispute on the protocol. Some would say it is in the UK Government's political advantage to keep this on the boil over a period of time. I fear this thing will never go away and politically, it seems to be a very advantageous drum to be beaten, from politics at home in the UK. How will that scenario play out eventually? One would imagine if it is good for Northern Ireland, it will be good for the entire island and that the whole island could benefit from this new arrangement. The only thing holding this back is the protocol. I do not know what the witnesses' thoughts are on that.