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

I am happy to speak on this matter. We have all said it, but the Ceann Comhairle called this the most serious matter to confront the country in a very long time. IBEC and other organisations, including the IFA, claim it will impact more on rural areas than on cities and greater urban areas.

If we think of how things were in the period before we joined the EU, although they have improved a lot since then, many of our youngsters were emigrating at that time and there seemed to be no good outlook for farming. I feel that if these negotiations go wrong, a bigger exodus of young fellows will leave the land than ever before, leaving many places totally abandoned, without life at all. The rural hills, glens and valleys right around the county of Kerry and across all of the country - the very rural places - have enough to do just to survive at present. When farmers hand down to their sons, it is a burden around a young fellow's shoulders to carry on with the farm and hope to hand it down to the next generation after him, like his father handed it down to him.

With regard to the market for beef, as Deputy Harty said, 50% of our exports go to Britain and we import a large amount from Britain. If anything was to happen to that market, it would be a disaster for the people trying to survive on farms here. Likewise, fishermen are very concerned that if the UK takes back its territorial waters, it will put more pressure on them because big factory ships from Spain and other countries will catch more in our waters and clean out our fishermen and leave them with no income at all. Small manufacturers have already been adversely impacted upon in that the value of sterling has fallen and they are operating at margins that are 10% less than before the Brexit vote. That is really hurting them.

I am glad the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is present to listen to the debate. I heard him on radio the other night. He gave a good account of himself and had a good grasp of what needs to be done and the fight that has be fought in the days and weeks ahead.

The Border between North and South is a big concern for many people who cross it on a daily basis. If we are to return to the days of a hard Border and customs and tariffs, it will be a disaster. I am concerned about the part of the statement issued by the Council which made the following point, "The United Kingdom's decision to leave the Union creates significant uncertainties that have the potential to cause disruption, in particular in the United Kingdom but also, to a lesser extent, in other Member States." I think that statement is wrong. This will have much more of an adverse impact on a country like Ireland than on the United Kingdom, which is a strong country that has the ability to do deals with other nations and find markets all over the world, and which is closer to mainland Europe. We are very isolated because we are surrounded by water. This will impact very hard on rural areas, in particular small farmers. I appeal to the Minister to leave no stone unturned in ensuring we come as good as we can out of this because I fear it will be very bad for the country.

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