Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In regard to Brexit and its potential effects on the action plan for rural Ireland unveiled yesterday, which is a welcome recognition of what rural Deputies on all sides of the House have been seeking for many years, will the Taoiseach outline to the House how he envisages protecting rural areas from a hard Brexit, which appears to the model the British Government is to pursue, given the Prime Minister's speech last week? The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union is the most pressing political, economic and social issue to be confronted and managed by Ireland in the next decade. Ireland is intimately linked to the UK in many ways, most particularly in respect of agriculture, which is the lifeblood of rural Ireland. Without a sustainable agricultural sector, the action plan for rural development will not succeed.

The comprehensive plan, with its 276 recommendations, is very welcome. It is a compendium reference document against which actions and implementations will be judged in the coming years. In the Taoiseach's words, there is something in the plan for everybody. It refers to rural-proofing Government decisions but does not address Brexit-proofing the agrifood industry. Our absolute proximity to and substantial dependence on the UK make Ireland very vulnerable to decisions that country will make solely with its own interests in mind. The requirements of the EU and Ireland are very far apart on this matter. Both the EU and the UK want a hard Brexit, but we want a soft Brexit.

Even before the UK triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, we in Ireland are feeling the effects of the uncertainty Brexit is causing, with a weakening sterling making the agrifood sector less profitable. It is envisaged that exports to Britain will fall by 30%, unemployment will rise and there will be a deepening regional inequality and a decline in economic growth. The agrifood industry will be the worst hit. Already, Irish food exports have dropped in value by €575 million since the Brexit vote. The mushroom industry has all but collapsed, and beef, pigmeat and poultry exports will follow as the UK seeks cheaper imports from Brazil and Argentina. Our beef exports are 50% dependent on the UK market. Meanwhile, €10 billion of UK contributions to the Union's agriculture budget will be withdrawn, resulting in cuts to single farm payments to Irish farmers. Will the Taoiseach indicate the particular measures he intends to take to protect Ireland and the rural agriculture industry from Brexit?

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