Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Communities across the midlands are already reeling from Covid-19 and now we find ourselves facing significant uncertainty as a result of Brexit and how it will ultimately play out in our community. I appreciate the Trojan work done by the previous Administration on this issue and I know a number of our Ministers, our Taoiseach and our Tánaiste are assiduously working to ensure there is no negative impact from Brexit on the midlands region. However, regardless of whether the UK ultimately yields to a deal on Brexit, the reality is the transition will be hugely difficult for the midlands. More than two years ago, an IBEC report on the challenge identified Longford as one of four counties at greatest risk from Brexit, owing to the large concentration of businesses involved in engineering, food production and logistics.

8 o’clock

That report did not take account of the agricultural sector and the challenges therein. I recently met a number of Longford farmers in an airy slatted shed in Oldtown, Ardagh. The shed was not too dissimilar to this building although it had significantly more atmosphere and character. Those Irish Farming Association, IFA, farmers had issues and concerns. They referenced Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, transition funding, the suckler herd, sheep farming, forestry, the fair deal scheme and farm safety. Ultimately, their greatest cause for concern was the uncertainty presented by Brexit. I know that the Brexit piece is foremost in the mind of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, he is conscious of the significant shift in farmer profile over recent generations and that a troublesome Brexit will deeply unsettle a fragile ecology.

County Longford is already reeling as a consequence of Covid-19. We expected just over 50 pubs to reopen in the county a number of weeks ago but, sadly, within a ten-mile radius of Longford town, ten family-run bars did not open. In essence, we lost 20% of the county's bars, the reality is that they will not be back and with them have gone focal points for many of our local communities.

It is a similar story for our retailers with a notable shift to online trading. This week's additional restrictions, while necessary, are another hammer blow to beleaguered rural communities. There is no doubt that the restart grant and other supports have been hugely supportive and the hope is that next week's budget will include additional measures.

Since March, Longford's only travel agency, Kanes Travel, has remained open to assist its customers with getting refunds and still there is no likelihood whatsoever of any income throughout this period for the family-run business. At best, it will be next April before the business sees any actual sales. We do not want to lose the travel agency in Longford town which has been at the heart of our community for 60 years. We are desperately hoping that many of our local businesses will be able to see some dividend from the Christmas trading season this year.

Provincial towns have faced numerous challenges over the past couple of years and the reality is that Covid will rob them of a full year's trading. It will, unfortunately, be the death knell for many of these businesses. Cork, Dublin, Galway and all the other large urban centres will bounce back once the visitors and investors return but for rural Ireland, the challenges are considerable and will be further emphasised by the looming Brexit crisis. After Covid, and regardless of whether we see an agreed or unilateral British withdrawal in 90 days' time, rural Ireland will suffer. Accordingly, it needs to be prioritised in terms of funding and support.

See this speech in context