Ms Margaret Hearty:

Our trade hub supports businesses that want to understand how to move goods and services in the context of the new trading requirements. For many companies, the key areas where businesses seek support relate to customs declaration, treatment of VAT, regulation and cross-Border employment, which has become increasingly challenging. For example, businesses in Northern Ireland that are bringing in goods from GB now have to declare goods as being "at risk" if they are at risk of moving across the Border. Sometimes companies are over-cautious in what they are declaring so we give practical advice and support on what they need to declare or not declare. Businesses are accessing that support daily.

The Deputy mentioned the 60% that do not understand the Windsor Framework. We know that only one in five businesses is exporting and in both Northern Ireland and the Republic, we need more businesses exporting. The risk is that if they think it is very complicated, they will not explore it. The good news is that trade is increasing in both directions, both North-South and South-North, as well as GB-NI and NI-GB, so it is quite a positive picture.

The one thing that business does not thrive on is uncertainty. There is an onus on us, and we are work working very hard, to promote our trade hub service to all of the LEOs, Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland, which are very good at referring companies that need specific information on how to use the trade hub. I agree that we can always do more. As an all-island body, we have a key role in connecting the landscape and ecosystem to provide support and we work very hard at doing that.