Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute. With all that is happening in the State and globally in terms of the pandemic, Ireland also has the threat of Brexit hanging over it. The Government and previous Governments have been working hard to mitigate the harsh realities of Brexit.

Coming from a rural constituency that has a flourishing agriculture industry, I am all too aware of the challenges facing that industry as we face into the Brexit negotiations. I have seen much of the commentary in regard to the land bridge and our access to markets. In the years since we joined the EU, or the Common Market as it was at the time, agriculture has developed enormously and an awful lot of people are engaged in farming. The farmers of this country have worked might and main to produce a product that is internationally renowned and has been so for generations. This is due in no small way to the first line of defence, namely, the farmer. We should always recognise that when speaking about the agriculture industry. We should always recognise the work that is being done on family farms.

I fear the biggest challenge in the Brexit negotiations is in respect of small to medium-sized farms that are the backbone of rural communities and many of our small provincial towns. One hears all of the time when farmers have a good or a bad year weatherwise or in terms of prices that the farmers are doing okay and that they invariably spend all of their money from an agriculture viewpoint, be that in respect of contractors, diesel, raw material, inputs, merchandise and so forth in their local communities. We should applaud them for what they have done. As we face into Brexit, I ask the Tánaiste and the Government to ensure they are to the fore of their thoughts. The industry is worth in excess of €10 billion in exports. We want to ensure that the industry continues to thrive for no better reason that we have an excellent product that has been tested internationally in terms of its traceability and production and it benefits people's general health as well as everything else. There are many issues arising in health but our agriculture industry is producing a product of which we can be justifiably proud. In terms of what is happening in Britain and the commentary emanating from it, the agricultural community is worried for the future of the industry. We also have concerns in regard to the dairy industry and the beef industry. The beef industry, as with the dairy industry, has faced many challenges over the past number of years. We want to ensure that they can remain viable.

Regarding the commentary that has been emanating from the UK over the past number of months, anybody who has studied Irish history will be well aware of the scant regard of many well-heeled Tories for Ireland, our institutions and our people. The ignorance of some people when speaking about Irish history or the island of Ireland reiterates to each and every one of us that a small minority of people in Britain are making huge decisions about the future relations of Ireland with the EU and everybody else and that they have no understanding of the Republic, or Northern Ireland. These people have made particular comments, in particular in the fall of last year, which left people aghast.. Any student of Irish history would be well aware that this is nothing new, that it has been happening down through the decades. The British have been allowed to pursue these policies to the detriment of the Irish people, North and South. We need to take a firm stance because we need to protect our island and our people in so far as possible.

Other issues are emerging. The EU must be mindful of the number of businesses trading throughout the Union. Over decades, we have built up massive exports across the spectrum. In my own area of Duhallow there is a massive agricultural industry but there are other great industries also, such as Munster Joinery and APS Cork that export and small companies like Avonmore Electrical, which exports wind to the Scottish highlands. These are small to medium-sized industries that will be badly affected by Brexit. These companies are at the high end of their product. They provide fantastic employment and high-end jobs and a fantastic service. We want to keep them in our rural communities. We want to benefit our rural communities but we need to recognise the challenges to the businesses, large or small, that would be affected by a no-deal Brexit.

Is it so terrible to hope for successful negotiations? It is as simple as that. We are hoping for successful negotiations. Over the past week or so we learned of the passage of legislation in the House of Commons which disregards international trade and willy-nilly threw it to one side. This would not have been heard of or dreamed of in any State over the past number of years, but the UK did it. It is hell-bent on leaving the EU.

We must ensure that the Union is on our side at all times. There were times in the past when we had bought well into the European Union and it can be questioned, in our core, whether it was on our side in times of difficulty. We must challenge it at every stage. The information on negotiations and the talk from the European Union give the impression that the Irish Government and the Union are at one in trying to ensure we get the best possible deal. We need that more than ever.

We also must seek to challenge the next Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, negotiations which have started or are being discussed. We must ensure we get the best possible deal from that. We have seen the cuts in the budgets of the European Union, and we cannot afford that. We want to get the most money possible under the CAP.

What is the current position? International commentators have spoken about the challenges for the EU and Britain in successfully concluding a deal. They have also looked at Ireland and its vibrant, open economy with massive exports. We will be affected by the nonsense and, I must say, the absolute madness of the Brexiteers. I cannot find any other way in the English language to describe it. I could find other languages, but that might not be allowed in the House. The absolute madness of the Brexiteers is that they have tunnel vision. In my opinion, they believe that if they get rid of the EU they can go back to imperialism and the powers Britain had 200 or 300 years ago. That is not going to happen in the world as it is now.

This country must face the reality of its current position. We must examine the challenges that are going to affect all of society. Whether it is the large urban centres or very rural places, everybody will be affected by Brexit. We must have a copper-fastened deal with the European Union. We must hold the EU to account to ensure it is in our corner at all times. Negotiations have shown over the last while that it is in our corner. We are entering the last crucial stages. Who would have thought this time 12 months ago that we would be in this position, heading into the second week of October, where there is no deal or proper structure in place for how Britain is going to exit the EU and for what the relationship will be after 31 December?

We face challenges. The Houses of the Oireachtas are willing to stand by the Government as it goes into very detailed negotiations. We wish it well in ensuring that it brings the best possible deal for all citizens, not just those of the Republic of Ireland but all the citizens of the island, as we face a new and different Europe after Britain leaves the EU.

See this speech in context