Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too am delighted to make a brief statement on this matter. As the exit date is just over 40 days away, it is imperative that we have a clear sense of how we will address the massive problems Brexit will cause, and they are massive and very daunting. We hope the Brexit contingency action plan measures are sufficiently robust. We have supported the Minister of State and her Government all along. We know that the European Council has made clear that there can be no reopening of the withdrawal agreement, nor can the extension be used to start negotiations on the future relationship. The EU is willing to look again at the political declaration on the future relationship should the UK move on its red-line issues. However, since the UK Government has indicated it is not willing to move, it looks like a crash-out scenario is indeed upon us, sadly. It is in this context that I acknowledge and accept the Government's assessment that there is a significant risk of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, or thereafter. Accordingly, work on no-deal Brexit preparations should continue to be taken forward as a matter of priority across Departments and agencies. There is no doubt about it, then, that the stark reality of what Brexit means is fast closing in on us.

A no-deal Brexit will be an unprecedented event, bringing with it disruption and severe negative economic impacts. It is also deeply disturbing to read that there are likely to be significant job losses in the most exposed sectors in a no-deal scenario, with an estimated increase in unemployment of 50,000 to 55,000 after the UK leaves the EU, which is shocking. This is probably a conservative estimate. All of this is creating significant fear and uncertainty, especially for the agricultural sector, which also now has to contend with the beef crisis, and the Mercosur deal and the inevitable disaster that it will bring in its wake for the beef trade. We are in real trouble. I am disappointed, as the farmers are still protesting at the gates, that the Ministers and Taoiseach will not engage meaningfully with them instead of threatening them to move off, always being on the side of the beef barons and beef moguls. In real terms, we know that the agrifood and fisheries sector are Ireland's largest indigenous industries, contributing 7.7% of Ireland's gross national income, and act as a primary driver of the rural economy.

A no-deal scenario would not protect the peace in Northern Ireland. This is a fragile peace and we have seen too clearly in recent times how fragile it is. We will work hard to avoid it. On this, we can certainly all agree. However, this is now a surreal scenario. It seems that nothing can be offered to assure us that we will be able to emerge from this process without significant and ever-increasing damage being inflicted. The much dreaded outcomes are here. I stress that the Government will find co-operation from this side of the House, from the Rural Independent Group, on matters where there is a genuine need to be constructive. More needs to be done along the lines of the Brexit scorecard issued by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. These measures will allow us to mitigate as much as possible some of the immediate effects of a disruptive exit of the UK from the EU. As the Department makes clear, despite the uncertainty, Irish companies can and should take immediate action to mitigate the potential risks and position themselves to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. These actions will increase a business' resilience and make practical business sense, irrespective of Brexit outcomes. There are profoundly challenging times ahead. We must work together to navigate these historic times if we are to ensure that our communities and our businesses survive without catastrophic damage.

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