Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can respond to the Deputy, but I think it was more of a statement than a question. We know what some of the problems are and we are addressing them, one after the other. However, with respect to the Deputy, the Irish Government can only do so much for lorry drivers that are stalled in Kent. This is what happens when an economy and a country the size of the UK decides to leave a customs union and a Single Market, never mind the EU. There are new realities to trade. That is why I would encourage companies to reach out. There is a lot of support and advice available. Revenue Commissioners are doing a really good job in very challenging circumstances. Most companies that I speak to are very complimentary of Revenue in terms of knowledge, skill set and so on. We will keep engaging with companies and people that are impacted by Brexit, and we will try to solve problems. However, we also have to be honest with people. Some of the new realities, including disruption to trade, increased bureaucracy, paperwork and preparation, are here to stay. We will be able to work the systems more efficiently as time goes by, but we are never going to get back what we had before, which was a seamless trading market that the UK was part of in a shared EU customs union and Single Market.

See this speech in context