Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Taoiseach to give a firm indication that every effort will be made to ensure there are no restrictions in the movement of people or goods between North and South or between Ireland and Britain. In my constituency and the general Border area there is real concern over the impact of Brexit. Already uncertainty has arisen due to the weakness of sterling. Deputy Micheál Martin mentioned the dairy sector and the movement of raw milk from North to South and from South to North. Thankfully many of our good business enterprises are sited on both sides of the Border. Real difficulties will emerge for them if there is restriction on the movement of people or goods. I would like the Taoiseach to give the House an assurance that every possible effort will be made to ensure no restrictions are imposed on the movement of people. We underestimate one thing that has been very successful since the mid-1990s, which is the growth of economic activity on a North-South basis and the movement of workers. We want to ensure obstacles are not put in the way of the further development of that positive economic feature.

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