Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I welcome the witnesses. It is almost with a sense of foreboding that we re-enter the horror story of the washout of Brexit, something which seems to have occupied not just this committee but also so much of all of our thinking for years in a very unproductive way. It is simply about trying to make the best of the situation for Ireland and, in my view, the United Kingdom. The outworking of what was negotiated, namely the co-operation and trade agreement and, subsequently, the Windsor Framework, is what we are trying to figure out.

I agree that there is a different perspective coming from the new Labour Government. From my discussions with a number of Labour people, some of whom are now in government, I would say there is some naivety about what can be achieved without being a member of the European Union. We know from the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs, COSAC, and talking to European colleagues that the rest of Europe has moved on. The entire focus of the European Union is now to the east and they do not want more time consumed by Brexit. In that context, I would be interested in hearing a couple of things.

Regarding the review of the framework which is due, is there anything in particular the witness would put on the agenda? There have been a series of postponements of the checks of goods going into Great Britain, for very good reason - simply, it was not ready for that. I do not think we have seen the full impact. If what was envisaged by the previous Government was put in place, it would be quite disruptive.

A number of companies in my constituency, such as Danone, in Wexford, which exports a lot of product directly to Great Britain, were very concerned about delays, bureaucracy and cost. I would be interested in hearing the take of the witnesses on that.

My next question relates to connectivity.

At an event I attended in Rosslare Harbour, a person speaking at the event said that the best advocate for Rosslare Harbour over the past decade - I thought I might get a mention - was Boris Johnson. Connectivity to the Continent from Rosslare went from six sailings a week then to 46 currently. I did some work with the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly's economic committee. At that forum the hauliers told us that there was a dislocation of goods. A lot of goods coming directly either to Rosslare or into Dublin are now transiting further north. They are going directly to Northern Ireland to avoid any complications. Was that an initial factor or is it still one? How do the witnesses view connectivity in terms of the impact of Brexit and the Windsor Framework on the costs for businesses doing direct trade between the island of Ireland and Great Britain?

My third and final question relates to a meeting of this committee tomorrow with the Minister for the Cabinet Office in Britain, Nick Thomas-Symonds, who is responsible for EU affairs. Is there anything the witnesses would ask us to put to him on how things could be improved?