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

On the first matter, I will talk to the Minister for Agriculture, Food at the Marine about the delay in payments because of a software update. I take the Deputy's point that there should not be delays of this kind in respect of payments to farmers who need the income.

On the question raised by Deputy Danny-Healy Rae, Brexit is not good news. It has created many challenges. The issue the Deputy referred to is due to different stances being adopted by the various parties to the negotiations on Brexit and the operation of the protocol to the withdrawal agreement. There have been technical discussions. Technocrats have been involved in trying to iron out details of that kind. The story is not over yet and the negotiations are continuing. We have an input in that regard through the joint committee in relation to the operation of the protocol relating to Northern Ireland and the Republic. We will obviously seek to prevent what the Deputy describes from materialising. It would be damaging.

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