Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the Taoiseach's positive response in recognising this problem in the Border counties. Will he accept it has always been more difficult to do business along the Border counties? Businesses there do not have a solid foundation on which to build themselves up given currency fluctuations. Budgetary measures, either from Westminster or the Houses of the Oireachtas, can also destabilise business conditions, resulting in an exodus from North to South or vice versa. Businesses involved in adjacent counties both North and South must grapple with two different sets of bureaucracy and red tape.

Will the Taoiseach accept it is worth exploring the establishment of a working group to examine business regulations and employment laws to make specific recommendations to overcome certain difficulties and work towards their harmonisation for the interest of both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland as a whole? Will he give some indication this morning of a willingness to do this?

See this speech in context