Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is safe to say we would rather not see these new custom controls coming into effect. We would rather not have seen Brexit come to pass, but now that these new controls are here and happening in a matter of days, the Government and the Minister's Department have a major role to play and a responsibility to make sure the requirements now needed are as straightforward as possible for those they will impact. That will not be easy.

The Minister will know there is already concern about the additional red tape that these customs controls will require and the increased costs that will arise for exporters. There is also concern for those unforeseen issues that may, and more than likely will, arise as the new practices bed in.

Last Friday, the Government issued a press release calling on Irish exporters to get ready for the new rules. We know that larger companies will be well ready and will have the resources to ensure they are ready. Some companies will have hired individuals specifically to work around and ensure the new system and requirements are met. This is where the Government must step up. The Minister has outlined some of the preparation, particularly within his Department. We know the importance of that preparation, given that Britain is our biggest market for food and drink. We know that beef exports hit €1.3 billion last year and dairy products were worth €1.1 billion. Britain is an essential market for agriculture in Ireland.

There will be steps that those in Britain, including the hauliers, will have to take before products depart for ports here. Importers in Britain will have to notify the authorities when it comes to live animals and meat. While these are steps the British have to take, getting this right and ensuring it is done will impact our exporters.

The Minister, in his contribution, made reference to his latest engagement with the British Government. It is important that we know exactly what engagement has taken place to ensure it has done everything that needs to be done to ensure our exporters are not impacted when it comes to the movement of goods.

We know that health certificates will be required for the export of live animals, meat and other food from Ireland to confirm they meet British standards.

The Government needs to be clear in communicating what this process will look like and attempt to make it as accessible and straightforward as possible. We know Department vets will have a key role in this. This begs the question as to whether the Department has enough vets. The Minister will be well aware that concerns have been raised about this. It is essential to ensure this works and runs as it should. I am concerned that the Minister did not mention vets in the list of actions he mentioned that have been taken regarding preparation. It is important that we know whether additional vets have been hired and what has been done to ensure they are in place across the State to make sure the health certificates that will be required can be put together and be in place, and this is done in a timely manner for all our exporters.

We know that the goods movement reference numbers must be notified to authorities 24 hours in advance. This means that an awful lot of businesses and exporters will have to work ahead of time when it comes to the movement of goods. Concerns have also been raised about this.

I appreciate that these are new customs controls and that there will be an element of "wait and see". We can only hope that we will not see significant issues regarding the movement of goods under these new controls. The Minister acknowledged the level of engagement and communication he and his Department have undertaken, which is welcome and really important. A lot of businesses, particularly small businesses, will be nervous about these significant changes for themselves and their livelihoods, particularly smaller companies that may not have the resources and money to meet these additional costs and may not have the staff to deal with the additional red tape and paperwork that will be involved. The Minister mentioned his engagement and communication. I acknowledge that the Irish Exporters Association has held a number of events, and I am sure they have been really helpful to those who will be affected. It is important that we acknowledge them. It is a case of "wait and see" but we must make sure we support those smaller exporters and companies in particular because they will need our assistance as we get through this new system.

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