Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Article 132 of the withdrawal agreement clearly states that an extension must be requested by 1 July and the UK has been very clear that it will not seek an extension. In fact, even if the EU seeks an extension, the UK will not agree to it. Business are already suffering because of Covid-19 and a no-deal Brexit will be even more detrimental on the back of Covid-19. Many of the supports and packages that were originally put in place have been repurposed to deal with struggling businesses under a Covid-19 arrangement. I am conscious that the time will not allow the Minister of State to give me an answer now but I ask her to revert to me on what exactly her Department, in conjunction with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, is going to do for businesses that will be most adversely affected by a no-deal Brexit scenario and what supports will be available for them. The supports required will need to be made available on much more favourable terms than those that have been provided for businesses struggling as a result of Covid-19.

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