Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government has failed to develop any cohesive plan that would secure our relationship with our nearest and biggest trading partner. That is despite the fact that reports indicate that sectors such as the agri sector, the tourism sector and the SME sector have already been adversely affected.

The agri sector has lost €570 million alone due to fluctuations in sterling, even though 37% of all Irish food exports are exported to the UK. That is not sustainable. In the area of tourism investment, I take the example of Cork Airport. There are approximately 18 flights daily between Cork Airport and the UK. Those flights are imperative to the continued rise in tourism numbers, especially in west Cork which I represent. Any disruption to the single aviation market would greatly impede that. Moreover, if we are to expect multinationals to locate and invest in rural areas, we must be mindful of the fact that adequate facilities are essential. In that regard, extra resources for State agencies such as Fáilte Ireland, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland are essential. In the context of small and medium enterprises, I refer to a Department of Finance report published in October 2016 which indicates that regionally based SMEs are most likely to suffer a negative impact following a less than favourable Brexit deal for Ireland.

All of the above sectors, together with many other sectors in the Border area, will be negatively affected in the absence of a properly negotiated agreement. It is clear that it is vitally important that a plan is put in place for the Border counties. However, it is also vital that the non-Border counties are given equal consideration. I represent Cork South West, which is one of the furthest constituencies from the Border, and I want the Minister to understand how important proper negotiations are for all of us.

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