Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Winston Churchill once said that to fail to plan was to plan to fail. It is in this context that Deputy Brendan Smith and I have raised this Topical Issue matter on the immediate need for a Border corridor strategic development approach. The Ireland-Northern Ireland Border corridor will be the most impacted, irrespective of what type of Brexit we end up with. The impact will be on an economic, political and social level. Economists agree that despite the support the Border region has received to date, it still lags behind the rest of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Those economists also agree that Brexit will exacerbate the situation. While the unemployment rate in Ireland has grown overall since the referendum, it has faltered in the Border region. What is needed is a fresh strategic approach supported by both Governments for practical support for the region.

There are 11 local authorities spanning the Border, North and South, and they recognise the need and wish to develop solutions in conjunction with both Governments. I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with the document on Brexit and the Border corridor risks, opportunities and areas to consider. It was commissioned by the 11 local authorities and it clearly outlines the probable impact of Brexit. The local authorities along the Border wish to develop a bottom-up, needs-based strategy for the Border corridor encompassing all sectors to offset the challenges and opportunities of Brexit. This strategic piece of work would build on the 2017 report and use it as a baseline to establish priorities for action, engage local stakeholders, social partners and businesses and consider implementation structures and sources of funding.

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