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

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute. I wish to concentrate on the effect of Brexit on our trade and our citizens generally. I thank members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, such as Deputy Haughey, who have really applied themselves to a very serious job of work to try to minimise the negative effects Brexit will have on our tourism, exports and citizens.

More than 30,000 people travel between the North and the South each day. Many businesses interact across the Border every day. I appreciate the Government's efforts in trying to ensure we will not have a hard border. I appreciate the efforts of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, the Taoiseach and others from all sides of the House. We have to stick together on this issue.

A few weeks ago the members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs met Michel Barnier and others leading the team on the Brexit negotiations. I appreciated very much what these people told us. For instance, the chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, left us in no doubt that he was very well aware of the situation in the North of Ireland. He knows how precious the peace process is to us. He understands what it is like on the ground, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle knows more than anybody else.

Do I have confidence in the negotiating team that is in place? Yes, I do. They are people, like the Leas-Cheann Comhairle himself, of great experience who have been involved in the political system for many years. We need that type of experience at this critical time. We have only one chance to get this right. It will take a couple of years. Once Article 50 is triggered, we will go down a road where nobody ever went before. I am sure the architects who wrote Article 50 assumed it would never be used. However, we are where we are. I do not believe in lamenting and saying, "Isn't this awful. Isn't it bad?" My attitude about problems in life is that we should put down our heads, roll up our sleeves and get on with it.

Along with Deputy Mattie McGrath and others today we were very glad to meet representatives from the IFA and others in Buswells Hotel. They gave an excellent presentation and the heading on the screen was "The most worrying times for farmers in the last 50 years." That is certainly true because as every public representative in this House knows, it is extremely hard to make money out of farming at this time. Dairy farmers, beef and lamb producers and tillage farmers are all having a very tough time. This is a more difficult time for every sector of agriculture than ever previously experienced.

There are so many regulations to comply with such as the pollution regulations, standard sizes for yards and collection facilities. While machinery and equipment has, rightly, to be up to certain standards, it places a tough burden on farming families.

It is not all just about the farmers. We also have to be concerned about tourism and other exports. In my own small part as Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, every week we meet with ambassadors from all over Europe. Last week, we had the British ambassador and the week before we had the German ambassador. I am playing my role in ensuring we are getting to know and forging links with people because we have to. We have to make sure that we stick together and do our best to work our way out of the problems we have at present.

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