Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is all very broad and general. The Tánaiste has not dealt with the core issue I put to her. Today's report provides a stark illustration of the lack of preparedness of Irish businesses for the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the customs union. Such an eventuality would lead to increased costs, regulation, compliance requirements, complexity and, potentially, barriers to trade in the day-to-day operations of Irish businesses. What is the Government doing in practical terms to help businesses to prepare for these challenges? My real concern is that the focus of the negotiations in the next 18 months or so will be on the terms of the exit and that trade will come after this. Such an approach would be of no comfort to the tens of thousands of Irish workers who depend on trade with the United Kingdom on a day-to-day basis. What is being done in practical terms to help Irish businesses to make the preparations they need to make? I refer, for example, to the inclusion of the common transit area in the negotiations that are about to get under way.

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