Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There were several questions there. In simple terms, the common transit convention effectively means that if one seals a container in Dublin and it is going to France, Belgium or the Netherlands, it should be able to be transported across the British landbridge and back into the Single Market without being checked. While it may have to be scanned while passing through, the goods should not have to be checked. That is what we are trying to achieve in order that Irish trucks will not be treated as coming from a third country outside the EU and re-entering the Single Market. That is what should be facilitated. Of course, it is not as straightforward as that because if the connectivity between the south coast of England and the EU Single Market through France in particular, but also the Netherlands, is not as seamless as it is today, then Irish trucks will get stuck in that traffic and they will certainly not be facilitated to skip the queue easily. We have spoken to our French counterparts about trying to differentiate between goods that originate in the UK and those that originate in the Single Market in Ireland and then come back into the Single Market to ensure that Irish trucks, where possible, do not get stuck in the same parking and inspection systems as British trucks.

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