Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I represent the Border constituency of Sligo-Leitrim, including south Donegal and north Roscommon. Business in that area is always somewhat hampered by the Border. In every area across Europe, it is recognised that a border corridor is a disadvantage and problem. Particular disadvantages exist when the border in question is totally unnatural, as is the case in Ireland. Much of the economics and commerce that goes on across the Border, which has thankfully, by and large, disappeared over the past 20 years, runs over and back. Cows are milked in the South, processed in the North, brought back into the South for further processing of the milk, before it is brought back into the North again for further processing. That is going on all along the Border. That problem is going to be magnified if we have a situation where we have any kind of posts, checks or infrastructure placed at the Border. We need to make certain that cannot happen under any circumstances.

The British Government's intransigence towards Ireland and the particular predicament that all the people on this island will face because of Brexit has been farcical. We need to be looking at how we can resolve that issue here and now. We also need to look at the broader picture. Many of my colleagues have mentioned issues about exports. Large amounts of our produce are exported through Britain and into Europe. That is a problem and emphasis should be placed on building our port capacity and getting a new ferry service from Rosslare, Cork or another port which can go directly across into Europe. That needs to be prioritised as we move towards a situation where it looks more likely every day that we will not have a proper deal on Brexit. There may be a deal patched together at the last minute which might not be long term and might not work out. That is a crisis for many people in business.

Additional resources will have to be pumped into small businesses around the country to ensure they can survive the economic impact of Brexit because it is going to be colossal in a no-deal situation. I appreciate that the Government is in a difficult position with Covid-19 and all the other stresses that exist. Europe will have to step up to the mark here because this is not only a problem for an Irish Government, it is a European problem and Ireland is, unfortunately, the country that will meet the largest impact of it. The European Union will need to put a fund in place to assist Irish business through the deep problems we are going to have as we move into a situation where we are likely going to have a no-deal Brexit.

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