Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I thank our guests. I would not say we should have feared Brexit less than we did but I agree with colleagues that it has turned out to have been managed very well for a whole range of reasons. The Department and InterTradeIreland must be commended on that. I want to highlight a few points, to which the departmental witnesses might respond.

I have a particular concern about the agrifood space. In their submission, the departmental officials highlighted that the agricultural cross-Border checks probably are not yet being fully implemented. For instance, we send milk from the South to the North to be processed, which then goes back to the South. We send meat up to the North to be slaughtered and processed before it returns here. As the protocol gets further defined and the agricultural checks become expansive, will the witnesses say what they are doing in this regard? This issues has two effects. First, it has a potential impact on supply in that it will change our route pathways to market and, second, it definitely will have a price impact. How is that being examined?

Another issue I ask the witnesses to address is that of transport links. When I came into the Dáil two years ago, the discussion was about the loss of the UK land bridge and how we were going to manage it. I have to say the Government response at the time was very tardy. It was largely left to private operators to look at getting routes out of Rosslare, which has been done successfully. It appears the land bridge is not coming back into play any time soon. The officials said they are liaising with the Department of Finance on macroeconomic issues. Are they promoting further expansion of the likes of Rosslare and Waterford ports, the former having ro-ro facilities and the latter having lo-lo capability, to try to develop further export and import pathways?