Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have moved from the speculation phase into the planning and preparation phase for a hard Brexit. The Taoiseach told the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, last night that the State had already informed the European Commission that an application for emergency European funding for aid will be made in the event of a no-deal hard Brexit. Back in 2016, one of the clear proposals made by both my party and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions was to seek changes in the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to make sure that it was Brexit ready. Little has happened since then according to my information. At that time, we also proposed a two year suspension of state aid rules in the event of a hard Brexit. As the Taoiseach acknowledged yesterday, there are thousands of manufacturing jobs and other jobs at risk, particularly where there are integrated supply chains across these islands. What specific supports for small businesses and small and medium enterprises, SMEs, particularly in the Border area, has the Government put in place so that we can explain to them now what will happen because they are extraordinarily anxious about there being fewer than 60 days to 29 March?

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