Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the Minister of State on the local authorities. Both Cavan and Monaghan county councils have done tremendous work in bringing businesses to the table in facing up to the realities of Brexit, along with our LEOs, which have organised round-table conversations, encouraging and enabling them to access the supports the Government is making available.

I ask the Minister of State to continue that work. We are on the cusp of Brexit. It will have a significant impact, with a very particular set of circumstances for the Border region. We want to not only sustain the businesses we have in those areas but to enable them to grow and to strengthen their capacity for further employment. Covid has added an extra layer of negativity on businesses in the Border area. For that reason, I ask that positive bias be shown towards Border counties such as Cavan and Monaghan.

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