Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There will be a threshold and it will be significantly reduced. The catalyst has been the UK's decision to leave the European Union. We will respond to that in the form of an amendment which will come before the House.

One of my big concerns generally is the preparedness of Irish businesses for Brexit - deal or no deal. It is important that all companies plan and avail of the Government supports to help them to deal with issues relating to customs declarations and other forms. There is a grant for employing assistants and bringing people in. It has not been availed of to the degree that one would have wished. There is an issue there irrespective of whether a deal is done. Even if a deal is done and we have a trade agreement, there will still be issues on 1 January because the UK will be outside the customs union and the Single Market. It will be out of the European Union, which has implications for us.

I welcome that negotiations have resumed and have been ongoing. There are outstanding issues. It makes sense for an agreement to be reached. The UK needs access to the Single Market. Europe needs that access to be on a common basis with the EU states in terms of having a level playing field, state aid and so forth. That is obvious. Access to the Single Market is of great importance to the British economy and I believe that the UK understands that. There will obviously be challenges on that issue, on the dispute resolution mechanism and on fisheries. A no-deal is something that everybody should work against because it would be very damaging for all concerned in the United Kingdom, Ireland and other European Union member states. If a trade deal is done, it should neuter the offending clauses of the Internal Market Bill; they should not proceed on that basis.

Deputy Boyd Barrett asked about an all-island Covid-19 approach. I have had meetings with the Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister, and with other parties. The issue is of concern. The chief medical officers are meeting and engaging. The incidence is higher in Northern Ireland than in the Republic and there are continuing challenges there. We will continue to work. We hope to have a North-South Ministerial Council next month. Hopefully, that will provide an avenue for further engagement. Prior to that we will continue talking. Obviously, they have difficulties and challenges within the Executive and there have been disagreements within the Executive with different positions taken on the level of restrictions in the North.

The Deputy mentioned funding. The European Union has put €5 billion aside for a Brexit adjustment fund. Obviously, Ireland will apply to get a portion of that because Ireland is one of the countries most negatively impacted by the Brexit decision. This year the Government budgeted for a no-deal Brexit and we have provided our own contingency funding for the fallout from a no-deal Brexit.

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