Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I compliment Deputies Michael Healy-Rae and Haughey, as well as other members of the European affairs committee, who have done much work on the ground. While not a personal criticism of the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, that is work the Government should be doing. The Taoiseach referred to the last Council meeting which 27 member states attended without the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, to exchange views on the future direction of Europe and preparations for the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March. Brexit was not on the agenda in Malta, however. I do not know what the Taoiseach was doing in Malta if Brexit was not on the agenda. It is on everyone’s lips, man, woman and child where I come from. There was a timely presentation this morning from the IFA at which it announced its action plan for Brexit. It is a sad state of affairs if we are going to depend on NGOs to deal with Brexit.

With 65% self-sufficiency, the UK is a net importer of beef. Ireland is the main import supplier, accounting for almost 70% of UK beef imports. The UK is the market for 50% of Irish beef exports, with a further 45% going to the EU market. Overall, a reduction in access to and the value of the UK market would have a negative impact on the Irish beef sector and, potentially, on the overall EU beef market. As a mature market, the capacity of the EU beef market to absorb increased imports is low. Irish beef exports of 270,000 tonnes to the UK represent almost 10% of the intra-EU beef trade. The displacement of these exports would, therefore, have a destabilising and devastating effect on the overall EU market.

In 2016, 34% of Ireland’s dairy exports went to the UK. This comprised 53% of cheese exports, 29% of butter exports and 12% of skimmed milk powder exports. Exports of cheddar cheese were 78,000 tonnes, representing 82% of all cheddar imported by the UK in 2016. Retention of tariff-free access to the UK market is critically important, particularly for Irish cheddar exports. Overall, the loss of or disimproved access to the UK market could have a destabilising impact on the overall value of the Irish dairy sector. I thank Ms Rowena Dwyer, the IFA’s chief economist from Tipperary, for her excellent research and figures.

Ireland exported 13,000 tonnes of sheepmeat to the UK in 2016. In the UK market, almost 90% of UK lamb imports come from outside the EU, namely, New Zealand and Australia, while EU exports go predominantly to four EU member states with France accounting for 50% of these. The key issue for the sheep sector will be the decision taken on the division of the large EU tariff-rate quota, TRQ, for New Zealand lamb. Any displacement of New Zealand lamb imports, which currently go to the UK market, will have a negative impact on the overall value of the EU lamb market.

It is the same with pigmeat and poultry. There is significant bilateral trade between Ireland and the UK in pigmeat and poultry products, built up over many years. The disruption to existing trade flows, through tariff barriers or other increases in costs, would reduce the overall value of these markets. In addition, the continuation of cross-Border trade of pigs for processing is a critical issue, reflecting the overall processing capacity of the sector on the island of Ireland.

On tillage, Ireland is a net importer of grains. The geographical closeness to Northern Ireland results in some grain farmers exporting their product to Northern Ireland, rather than selling to more distant parts of the island. The imposition of tariffs on UK imports would potentially result in a resourcing of imports from the EU with increased transport costs. The already struggling mushroom industry has been decimated with the change in currency rates because of Brexit.

I cannot understand why the Brexit issue was not on the agenda in Malta. However, the Government better get its finger out and start talking about it everywhere, anywhere and at any gathering of EU member states.

I have tried to raise the issue of the persecution of Christians, minority Muslims and the Yazidis in the Middle East. There is genocide against them but we cannot have a proper debate about it while Europe stands idly by. I must take up Deputy Wallace on Hamas. This is the same group that has been designated as a terrorist group by the US, Canada and Japan. Its declared goal is the destruction of Israel. We cannot mete it out on one hand and not take in the other. We have to look at genocide overall wherever it comes from. The slaughter and persecution of Christians is clearing Christian civilisation from the Middle East. It will destabilise the whole world. Under the different dictators there in the past, people of whatever religion had freedom to practice and protection. Now, they are being slaughtered and persecuted wilfully while a blind eye is being turned to their plight.

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