Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I would like to raise an issue that has come up repeatedly, namely, the risk that regional areas will suffer disproportionately in a no-deal Brexit scenario. I know a rural plan is currently being developed, there are regional enterprise strategies and regional skills forums, the national broadband plan is being rolled out and there is substantial money set aside in the national development plan for rural and town development. However, it seems people feel that those measures, which, in combination, are designed to address this issue, are not sufficient to do so. I am interested to hear about new policy tools for addressing this issue.

Mr. O'Hara mentioned some cutting-edge technologies coming our way. How do we, in practical terms, develop those in regions that do not have those sectors in place? Are there new things that Government should think about that are not on the agendas of those initiatives now in place?