Mr. Patrick Donohoe:

I thank the Deputy for the question and the work she did in a previous life and now on cross-border agri trade.

To start slightly flippantly, as a suckler farmer from north Longford I am eternally positive, so I believe that anything is possible, especially coming into weanling season. Things will be very difficult. I will not say both sides are entrenched but that there are different sides. They are on different sides in respect of what they believe is possible. As we know, politics is the art of the possible. A new agreement is critical. There are potential tweaks and suggestions of grandfather clauses and of using again what was in place before, but these do not seem to wash particularly well. To guarantee frictionless trade, the all-island economy and the integrity of trade, including international trade, given that we ultimately export 90% of everything we produce on farms today, we need the integrity to be upheld. It is a case of export or die, to use an old New Zealand expression. It is possible but it is a matter of clarity. We all talk about clarity and it is only the clarity that we want. If we were given clarity and told nothing could be done, we would be very annoyed, but we do need clarity to deliver a new SPS agreement. We met Baroness Hayman, the relevant Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for agriculture, in this regard and she was very keen and open. She is very proactive and informed on the matter. We need a new SPS agreement. Those concerned are far from confrontational but just on different sides or ends of the spectrum. It is incumbent on the agri-industry, Northern Ireland and southern Ireland to have this addressed. Crucially, and bearing in mind the considerable work that the chamber does, we would not be talking about the positivity associated with the Windsor framework if it were not for the collegiate, cross-party support we have here. That needs to be recognised as well. I am always positive, but I believe that, without addressing this, it will be very difficult.