Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. We all accept that the political capital being used by the Government, Parliament and citizens in the context of addressing the border issues on the island of Ireland is of critical importance from a political, cultural, social and economic perspective and all that flows from that. None of us wants any form of border on the island beyond what is currently in place. We must also consider the impact Brexit will have on small and medium businesses. There is no doubt that, irrespective of how the negotiations on Brexit proceed, the United Kingdom will officially leave the customs union, as we know it, and the Single Market on 29 March 2019. If an agreement is not reached, World Trade Organization rules will apply. I am concerned that while the emphasis is on the immediate issue, there is insufficient preparedness not only in terms of resourcing the Department, but also in resourcing the policies the Department should be identifying as key to maintaining and supporting small and medium enterprises that will be dramatically affected by Brexit.

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