Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a plan and a Government. I understand the Minister for Health will make an announcement on the North-South issue on Monday. I will very much welcome it when it happens.

Living as I do in a Border county, I am very much aware, like the previous speaker, of the issues, North and South, and the need for greater economic and political co-operation and co-operation on health, education and transport services. All of us, North and South, must work together, notwithstanding the huge disadvantage of the decision made in Britain over the weekend. It is very important that the economic corridor grow. We in County Louth are at the very heart of that economic corridor, with two of the biggest towns in the country, Drogheda and Dundalk. We have huge employment and export potential and tourism is improving and increasing. Regrettably, there is no Minister in the constituency for the first time in many decades, which is a matter of concern to my constituents. All Deputies in the county are working together to make life better for everybody.

In particular, when section 50 is applied by the United Kingdom, the Government here should concentrate on recognising that fact and seek to have European agencies such as the European Medicines Agency, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, and any other that may be based in England to relocate here. That is an action plan that is needed and we should be ready to do it. The Government should make sure Drogheda, the largest town in the country, will have a stand-alone local enterprise office, LEO, which should be the centre for enterprise in the region and a gateway city to Europe. Co-operation, cohesion and economic links are very important. Cross-Border trade is also very important. If we co-operate and work together, we can make all of these ideas a possibility.

Previous speakers have raised the issue of a Northern poll. I am a Nationalist, like all my family and most people I know. We favour a united Ireland but by consent. If there was a poll tomorrow, we do not believe it would be successful. It may even be divisive. What will never be divisive is us working together, reaching out our hand, getting the agencies to meet. I ask the Government to consider asking the regional bodies in the South to make immediate contact with the regional bodies in the North to talk about increased co-operation and working together. Some years ago there was a Lord Mayor’s cross-Border initiative in Dublin in respect of the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. The theme of its conference was "2025" and very positive suggestions were made. That is the way forward.

Several traders in my constituency are concerned about the impact of Brexit on Christmas shopping, the increase in smuggling and cross-Border trade which, if the value of sterling keeps going down, will place them at a very serious disadvantage. There are huge economic problems arising from Brexit. It is clear that we must do more to tackle them. The North and the South working together is the way forward. I would welcome progress in that regard. The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly is meeting this weekend and its meeting is timely. Many of these proposals will be discussed. It is a case of co-operation, working together, recognising what is happening and at the same time taking advantage of the situation. If we are the only English-speaking nation which provides a gateway into the European Union, that is a huge opportunity for us to seize. I urge the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs to work closely with all of his colleagues in Europe to that end.

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