Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies from all sides of the House who participated in today's session. The trade and co-operation agreement and indeed the broader questions regarding our bilateral relationship with the UK, are vital issues for everybody on this island. It is appropriate that the Dáil should be fully engaged in considering the issues arising. I echo the call made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs for unity today. There will be a question and answer session tomorrow, when the Minister and I will be here. There will also be a question and answer session with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue on fisheries. There is no end of time for any motions which parties might want to table regarding Europe, fishing and-or any other aspects. Today, however, is a day on which this Dáil should show a united front. The united front which all parties showed in recent years was a major source of strength to both Governments in their negotiations. The eyes of Europe are watching the Dáil today. I take this opportunity to thank the parties for co-operation which we have seen, and which I have referred to, in recent years. It has been appreciated.

The changes to our relationship with the UK are comprehensive. Generations of citizens, including me, were born during the period of our shared European Union membership. We never had to think about the invisible web of co-operation implicit in membership. For the first time in almost 50 years, however, we are engaging with the United Kingdom outside of that shared framework. A new framework is in place, however. Imperfect though it is, it is there and it is what we will have to work with.

We are fully aware, and Members have outlined this aspect in great detail, of the challenges of the new situation, especially for the business and trading communities. I have heard first-hand from traders who are finding real difficulty in adapting to the requirements of the co-operation and trade agreement and the requirements arising from Britain's decision to leave the Single Market and the customs union. The Government is listening closely to what Deputies and industry representatives are saying, and we have been doing that for quite some time. I remember the Taoiseach outlining that aspect.

We see the difficulties occurring directly as a result of Britain deciding to leave the European Union. Those difficulties are multiplying daily, particularly in Britain. We will continue to work with business and other stakeholders to ensure that they have all the information they need to comply with the requirements of the new situation. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Taoiseach referred to the considerable supports available to businesses. Fundamental change has occurred in the way the European Union does business with the United Kingdom. We would have preferred if that had not happened, and we said that all along. All these changes, however, are direct consequences of decisions made by the British people and, subsequently, the British Government. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, the European Union offered a much closer comprehensive trading relationship. Britain took a different path. This is regrettable, but it is a reality of that decision made by Britain and we have had to adapt to it. The quicker that we adapt, the better our interests will be protected.

We already see huge adaptations in transportation to the Continent. Our ambassador to France, H.E. Patricia O'Brien, was in Cherbourg several days ago. She was told that normally 35,000 Irish trucks go through that port, based on the 2019 figures, but that up to 9,000 or 10,000 Irish trucks have already gone through Cherbourg this year. We have also seen the establishment of many new services going directly to the Continent. Rosslare Europort has seen a trebling of services, including daily services to France. Brittany Ferries has a weekly service, Stena Line has a service from Dublin and we have also seen the announcement of the load on, load off service from Dublin to Amsterdam. Stena Line has also put a new ship running from Rosslare, a ship which I understand came off of a British ferry route. DFDS has launched its Rosslare to Dunkirk route and CLdN has established routes from Dublin to Zeebrugge, Santander and Portugal. That may not be a comprehensive list, but a raft of new services has been created. By the way, if any company is thinking of putting on services such as those I mentioned, all those new routes are heavily booked and there is a strong market in that regard.

We have invested significant resources, as the Taoiseach outlined, to ensure we have been as prepared as possible for the new arrangements. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with industry. I thank all the officials at every level of the public service who have worked really hard in recent years. I refer not only to those in the areas of diplomacy and trade, but also to officials in Customs, the HSE, the Office of Public Works, OPW, and had many other Departments, who have been working hard to ensure that the requisite infrastructure is in place. That infrastructure can be seen by driving just five minutes down the road to Dublin Port.

The challenges we, and Britain, are facing are a direct result of Britain's departure from the European Union. This shows us how valuable the Single Market is to us and why it was first put in place, with Britain as the driving force in that process. It is a tragedy to see delays and food rotting with truck drivers and importers bypassing Britain and trying to come directly to Ireland. All the hassle and bureaucracy now being experienced had been stopped by the Single Market. We are part of that Single Market, however, and we can continue to avail of it. Our place is at the heart of Europe. Our European Union partners have been our closest allies throughout this process and they will continue to be. This has been clearly shown in the way they made it their priority to ensure that the unique ways in which Brexit affects this island would be recognised in the withdrawal agreement and in the trade and co-operation agreement.

Earlier, the Taoiseach touched on the importance of the protocol for Ireland and Northern Ireland. Together with the trade and co-operation agreement, the protocol plays an extremely important part in mitigating, but not eliminating, the effects of Brexit on this island, North and South. Ensuring its effective application in a way that works for those on the ground is our priority. We will be engaging with the European Union in that regard, including as part of our membership of the specialised committees on the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol.

Right from the start, even before the Brexit referendum took place, the Dáil has consistently played a central role. This engagement has ensured that the complex issues involved have been fully understood and communicated to citizens. The Dáil has demonstrated to our external partners how seriously Ireland takes these issues in respect of engagement at the heart of our democracy. We gave public voice to a cross-party commitment to protecting Ireland's interests as well as is possible during what has been a challenging process. Ensuring that the Dáil and the Oireachtas remained properly apprised of developments arising from Britain's departure from the EU has been, and is, a priority for the Government. I thank our civil servants who did several direct briefings with Members of the Oireachtas in recent weeks. That can happen again, if necessary.

As the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and the Minister for Foreign Affairs made clear, and as has been underlined by many interventions, we all regret that the structures of our relationship with Britain can no longer be as close as they were. The agreement, however, represents a firm commitment from all of us, the EU and Britain, to work together comprehensively and it is an implicit recognition that our prosperity, our businesses, our citizens' lives and our futures will remain intertwined. After the challenges, frustrations and delays which have characterised the Brexit process, a new chapter is beginning. The trade and co-operation agreement gives us some of the most important tools we need to navigate the challenges ahead. Many of those challenges will remain and we will never eliminate them.

Britain has decided to leave and has left the Single Market and the customs union. Those challenges that have arisen will remain. We can mitigate those challenges but we cannot eliminate them.

I thank businesses for the role they have played in this over the past years. I believe they are, even still, learning a lot. This is welcome and we do understand their concern. Please bring forward the concerns to me or to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, about issues that may arise. Some issues have arisen over the first few weeks of January, which is natural with a new system. The Revenue Commissioners in particular have responded in a very pragmatic way. Undoubtedly, the Government is remaining in touch with the European Commission about the application of the agreement to ensure the agreement does what it is supposed to do and that we can get every possible benefit from it. That benefit, however, will never be the same as Britain being a member of the European Union.

I was struck by Deputy Cathal Berry's sadness at Britain leaving the European Union. I am sad too, and I want this on the record. It was a bad move by Britain and I believe they are now coming to see the consequences of that. They remain, and always will be, a very important partner for Ireland. The Taoiseach is absolutely committed to rekindling that crucial relationship between Britain and Ireland. I am aware that Britain is keen to do that too.

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