Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Update on Preparations for Brexit: Discussion

4:00 pm

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Fine Gael)
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May I ask something because the question relates directly to InterTradeIreland? It emerged when the SME delegates were before us that many SMEs are not aware of what Brexit means for them. Those who are not exporters might not realise that a large part of their business involves supplying or servicing an exporter. Will the delegates comment on progress in this regard? What can we do to address it?

I thank all the representatives, especially those from IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. They have done a huge amount of work in building and supporting businesses. In Galway, there is a significant medical devices industry that was not there 20 years ago. In Cork, there is a huge pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, there is a spread.

I wonder now, given that the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin is chock-a-block, whether there is a huge opportunity to invite more financial service operators, particularly from Asia and Australasia, into Dublin Airport where there is room to build another such centre. I had to get that little plug in before I let the witnesses go.