Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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In regard to this question on biosecurity, now that we have the sea border in place between England, Scotland and Wales, and Ireland, in the ports of Belfast and Larne there is obviously a risk. We quite rightly have an open Border. I look forward to the day when there will not be a Border at all. However, have there been discussions with the people in control who supervise in the North at those ports? Are they robust enough? We know of people who have farms each side of the Border, with houses that are split by the Border so that the back bedroom is in the North and the kitchen is in the South. There are fields where the farmer steps over the fence and crosses the Border. Obviously there is a huge risk there. Are the sea border checks robust enough? Has the Department looked at this?