Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in congratulating US President-elect, Joe Biden. Ireland has a good friend in that man.

My understanding of this Bill is that the purpose of Part 11 on customs is to accommodate the anticipated substantial increase in customs controls required at ports and trade premises arising from the end of the transition period. I spoke about Rosslare Europort and the preparations at the port in my last contribution on Brexit, and I wish to raise it again today. It is of vital importance to Rosslare village, Kilrane and their hinterlands. The increase in customs control, for example, the 30 new customs staff in place at the port, will surely increase cargo waiting times and queues. I ask the Government to prepare a traffic impact management plan for Rosslare Europort, as it did for Dublin Port.

The other important issues are agrifood, the fishing industry and our SMEs. The talk of the British claiming territorial waters will have a devastating and annihilating result for fishing communities throughout Ireland and in my county of Wexford. This must be objected to in the strongest manner and approached in a principle of partnership with a level playing field. The introduction by the Tory Party of the UK Internal Market Bill is an affront to the Irish protocol and a blatant disregard of the Good Friday Agreement. I thank the Government and the EU negotiators for their strong, coherent and robust stance in protecting what is a fully endorsed international agreement. I hope an agreement can be reached even at this eleventh hour, and that it will be beneficial for a prosperous and united people on our small beautiful island.

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