Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 2 December 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Brexit and Readiness of Businesses, Employees and Communities: Discussion

Mr. John James O'Hara:

We have not mentioned the agricultural and tourism industries much today, and they are the two biggest industries on this island. The tourism industry is already on its knees. Tourism Ireland markets the whole of Ireland, and tourists visit this country and do a 360-degree tour of the island. A no-deal Brexit would have massive implications for every rural community, and would kill the hospitality businesses that are currently struggling, so it is an issue that must be looked at. It is the same with the agricultural sector. In the Border region, there are farms that straddle the Border and the communities there do not see a Border. In Leitrim, where I am from, for example, there is a farmer who is concerned about feeding his cattle around a bale which straddles North and South. The simple issues are causing concern, and we must look at the real people on the ground. We must look at the farming and tourism industries and communities, because they could be decimated. Tourism is a major player that brings income into rural economies every day, so we need to look at this properly.