Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The people of Ireland and Kerry are worried like never before about their future and Ireland's position among the European Union nations. Ireland is a small nation that depends a great deal on Europe. Any further break up of the European Union could seriously impact on Ireland's future.

Ireland is a small nation surrounded by water, with no road access to mainland Europe. I call on the Taoiseach, Government and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and our MEPs to tackle the European Commission and officials to ensure that Ireland gets vital concessions and to protect Ireland's interests. We need our experts working to their maximum to ensure a seamless transition of Britain from the Europe Union such that our agriculture, manufacturing and tourist industries are protected. The survival of our nation is at a crossroads. Trade between Ireland and the UK could be reduced by 20%. The proposal by the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Osborne, to cut corporation tax there to 15% will affect Ireland in that it may result in industries choosing to set up in the UK rather than Ireland.

The issue of whether payments to farmers will be maintained under the CAP is one of the most commonly asked questions of me at my constituency clinic. Another question is whether Britain not contributing to the finances of Europe will make a difference to CAP payments. Farmers will be hit on the double because the value of sterling will fall and manufacturing and agricultural exports will be worth 10% less. Freedom of movement of our people to and from the UK cannot be made difficult or cumbersome or in any way restrictive. For more than 100 years people from Ireland have travelled to England for work to get money to help rear their families in this country. Currently, many people travel to work in the UK on a weekly basis to get money to provide for their families in Ireland. We cannot allow any travel restrictions or obstacles to be put in their way.

We do not want Border checkpoints or friction with our good neighbours in Northern Ireland. Relations between us have been running smoothly since the checkpoints were removed and we want this to continue. At the same time, we need to ensure that we do not take in more immigrants or refugees than we can afford or house. I have nothing against refugees but we can only house so many of them. As Members will be aware, many of our own people cannot find homes and are sleeping in the streets, with little headway being made in that regard.

What will happen if Holland or any of the Baltic countries decide to leave the European Union? Do we have a plan B? I suggest that an all-party committee be established, comprising Deputies with expertise in marketing, taxation, business, agriculture, fishing, tourism and manufacturing and trade. As I said, free movement of our people in and out of the UK is important. The people of Ireland do not want to leave the European Union at this stage but if more countries were to leave and if the European Union were to make things difficult for Ireland in terms of our being unfairly regulated or restricted in our trading or exports, Ireland would have to consider its position. We need a plan B to deal with these eventualities. Who would have thought when we were a few short months ago that the UK would leave the European Union. Even though we knew the referendum was going to take place, we never believed the UK would leave the European Union but it has done so. As that could trigger other countries to do likewise, we need to have a plan B in place.

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