Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Clearly, agriculture has suffered some difficulties in the context of an approaching Brexit. This applies in some areas of agribusiness, most notably the mushroom trade, which was partly brought on by changes in the value of sterling. There are other issues, not just with fishing, but also tourism. For the first time in a long while, tourism figures have fallen somewhat, although hopefully not much more. Much of this relates to changes in the value of sterling, with people who have been planning a break in, for example, County Donegal finding that their pound sterling does not go as far.

I am asked a certain question all of the time. I am sure that other Members are as well. What, if anything, is the Government doing to help businesses in agriculture, tourism and so on? I have read everything from Enterprise Ireland and the IDA and I know that the Taoiseach and Ministers have run a series of conferences, but the Taoiseach just pointed to a key issue. Notwithstanding his acknowledgement that certain areas face difficulties, he referred to Ireland potentially attracting new banking jobs to Dublin, for example, but that is exactly what the crisis is going to be about. Jobs are leaving rural Ireland and tourism areas on the west coast, including in the north west, are facing falls. Those who work in the west and the rest of rural Ireland in fishing, farming, agribusiness, mushrooms in Monaghan or elsewhere will not get those banking jobs in Dublin or Cork city. That is where the disconnect lies. The Taoiseach does not seem to be tied into it.

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