Dáil debates

Thursday, 17 December 2020

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Brexit Supports

11:20 am

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I ask that the Tánaiste might address himself to the spending review because it is very interesting with reference to the Gaeltacht areas. First, 85% of all of the jobs there are in microenterprises of less than ten employees. Second, they are the most exposed sector to Brexit in all of Ireland. Why is that? It is because most of their exports go to Britain. I know that the Tánaiste is well aware of this but I will give him a number observations from this review:

Gaeltacht companies are significantly more exposed to a disorderly Brexit than the Irish economy in general, due to their reliance on the UK as both an export market and a source of raw materials and other imports ... In 2018 31% of ÚnaG companies exports went to the UK... [and] ...82% of ÚnaG client companies [surveyed as part of the review] had not applied for any Brexit supports.

I could go on. The review identifies the problems in that the packages available are not targeted, which is one of the review's main findings. We need targeted and focused supports for the small businesses in the Gaeltacht areas.

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