Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an ábhar seo anocht. Rural communities in particular face very serious challenges as a result of Brexit. It is my belief that this Government has done precious little to ease that uncertainty and fear among many communities. Recent research by IBEC shows that the rural counties with the highest exposure to a potential hard Brexit are Cavan, Monaghan, Kerry and Longford. It estimates that 243,000, or 13.2%, of the employed population of these counties work in Brexit-exposed sectors. A report by the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in March identified very serious threats to the agriculture sector and research by IBEC finds that average farm incomes overall could be slashed by more than 6%, which is a serious worry to many of us in the House. This is in addition to reports from Teagasc which show a 9% decrease in farm incomes in 2016.

I attended a briefing with representatives of the IFA earlier today and I can tell the House that Brexit is chief among the concerns for their livelihoods. There is fear that the progress that has been made by many farming families will be lost in this whole Brexit ordeal. Their interests and the interests of all citizens and all sectors need to be protected.

Bord Bia has stated that Brexit has already cost the Irish food and drink industry almost €570 million in 2016 and a report by lnterTradeIreland and the ESRI estimated that, in a worst-case scenario, exports of the food and beverage manufacturing sector to Britain could fall by 45%, or €2.1 billion. Workers in my own constituency have already been exposed to the negative impacts of Brexit, with the closure of the mushroom factory in Portarlington and the loss of 33 jobs. The prospect of a reinforced border on the island of Ireland is devastating for small businesses and the farming community, particularly for those who straddle the Border.

We do not want any border on this island. Sinn Féin has consistently called for special designated status for the North within the European Union in order to protect the interests of citizens on this island, North and South, and to respect their rights and their vote in the referendum. This call has been supported by all parties in the Dáil and is echoed in the report by the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Irish Government must intensify its efforts to advocate and build support for this position within the EU. Budget 2018 provides the Government with an important opportunity to strengthen supports to rural communities facing the challenges of Brexit.

Sinn Féin is arguing for the establishment of a €10 million Brexit support fund to assist small businesses and farmers in assessing and preparing themselves for Brexit. Such a fund will provide for the expansion of current enterprise programmes in order to enhance assistance to our SMEs, including those in the agrifood industry. The Action Plan for Rural Development commits to the commissioning of specific research on the impact of Brexit on rural Ireland. To date, this research has not been carried out, which again shows the neglect of rural Ireland. It is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. While I acknowledge extensive research has been carried out by relevant sectoral stakeholders, it is important that we obtain a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by rural communities in social, economic and cultural terms. I believe this type of research is essential and will form a blueprint to ensure that appropriate planning can take place in order to mitigate negative consequences for rural communities. I urge the Government to commission this research without further delay and put in place a comprehensive plan to support rural Ireland in the challenges that lie ahead.

This Government was elected to support all citizens, rural and urban. I call on it to do just that in the context of Brexit.

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