Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As I have stated many times in this House, I firmly believe we are heading towards a no-deal Brexit. This is an incredibly serious situation for Ireland, particularly areas close to the Border like my home town of Dundalk. Unfortunately, the Government is sleepwalking into this and has not made the necessary arrangements to prepare us for a no-deal Brexit. Such an outcome would benefit nobody, least of all the United Kingdom. What is done is done, however, and we have to deal with the facts.

I speak daily to citizens and businesses in and around the Border region. Brexit is the biggest danger to the region in our lifetime. We can all remember the dark days of daily bombings, killings and security checkpoints. We do not want to go back to those dark days and we cannot do so. What concerns people and businesses along the Border is the lack of preparation for a hard Brexit. No one seems to know what to expect on 1 January 2021, which is only ten weeks away. Many workers live on one side of the Border and work on the other side. They have concerns, especially about possible checkpoints on the Border and the rules that will apply for cross-Border workers. Will they be taxed differently? How will social welfare benefits operate? These people need clarity. The concern about checkpoints also relates to customs checks. Can the Minister of State give any clarity on whether there will be fixed customs checks on Border crossings? Tariffs are another major issue for businesses.

Another issue of concern is cross-Border students. Dundalk has one of the top institutes of technology in the country. DkIT has almost 5,000 students, many of whom travel from the North to attend. These students are in the dark and do not know what is ahead of them. Is the Minister of State concerned for the future of these students if there is a no-deal Brexit?

Another subject of particular concern along the Border is that of security co-operation. Will the Minister of State indicate what measures or plans are in place to ensure security co-operation will continue to exist in the event of a no-deal Brexit? Access to security databases has been a major concern.

Hauliers are also facing into an uncertain future. What obstacles will they face when they have to travel through the UK? There are horror stories circulating that hauliers from Ireland could face delays of up to ten hours once they reach the UK. That would have a devastating effect on many food producers, who need to get their produce on supermarket shelves as quickly as possible. What additional red tape and paperwork are hauliers likely to face?

Last week's budget allocated €100 million to the shared island unit. I understand this unit will work towards investing in border infrastructure, cross-Border co-operation and related matters. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the unit will play a vital part in maintaining close relations between North and South. Has the Minister of State discussed this unit with his European counterparts? If so, has he discussed the idea of the EU matching any funds the Government invests in this unit? This unit will play a vital role in the Border region and I have no doubt the EU will see this and be only too willing to support such a worthy cause. I would welcome the comments of the Minister of State on this. If he does not have a chance to answer all the questions, I would appreciate if he could respond in writing.

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