Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that the Minister does not get to respond, but I will make some points. The Common Fisheries Policy is really urgent. It was reiterated to us in Westminster last week that the UK intends taking it. I was in Greencastle, County Donegal, on Monday talking to people from a fishing co-operative. There are things we can be doing. If the UK insists on taking back its territorial waters, we need to open up a conversation about renegotiation back to the position in 1972 and explain how things have fundamentally changed for us.

My position and that of Fianna Fáil on the domestic front is that little is being done but a great deal can be done. The Government lists websites, access to funds and so on. However, I have spoken to fishermen, farmers and SME owners throughout the country. I have asked whether they are being helped in a substantial way in terms of access to credit, relaxation of state-aid rules, feasibility studies for new EU markets, changes to supply chains and pricing strategies. I have asked them whether they are getting a comprehensive response from the State and its various agencies to help them not only mitigate the risks of Brexit but to actually use it as a nudge to become bigger, better, stronger and trade more. The answer I have received from people throughout the country from every sector is "No". They acknowledge that there is a website and that there is a new fund available which offers lower-cost credit. However, they maintain that they are not getting a comprehensive national response.

The Taoiseach responded to Deputy Micheál Martin and myself in reply to a parliamentary question confirming that the Brexit Cabinet committee has not met since September. It seems that we are desperately in need of and missing an all-of-Government response. I hope that is something we can work on providing this year.

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