Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The prospective changes on the way will most definitely pose significant challenges to Irish farmers and to the agrifood sector in general. The sector is one of the most important to our State and is especially important among indigenous and exporting SMEs. As a small, open economy, exports are the driving force. As it stands, only 6% of our SMEs export and most of these export to the British market. It is worth saying that when I engage with SMEs, as I regularly do, they all say they want to be able to increase their exports and grow that figure. Everyone is united in the ambition of growing that 6%. These changes will, of course, pose significant difficulties for those who export to the British market. We cannot wish these changes away. They will happen. Business and agribusiness have proved themselves to be steadfast and resilient, in particular in sticking with the Brexit process. They have to be commended on their strength and the agility they have shown because they have had to deal with massive changes.

Maintaining and increasing exports among our SMEs is a key area for Sinn Féin. If we are to achieve sustainable, diversified growth and enhanced economic resilience, it is essential that the Irish-owned enterprise sector fulfils its potential to scale and succeeds on global markets. Irish-manufactured products continue to compete well on world markets, and the Government and the enterprise agencies must do all they can to ensure this remains the case. The barriers posed by these import controls are a challenge and the State must remain agile and responsive to the needs of business to surmount these challenges. While we await published figures for 2023, it must be pointed out that the most recent figures from Enterprise Ireland show that 2022 was an incredibly important year for agrifood exports among its client base. Despite Brexit, Britain remains the largest market for Enterprise Ireland clients, and is also the largest single destination for Irish food, drink and horticulture exports. While opportunities in the European Union and further afield must be seized, Irish businesses cannot lose the foothold they have worked so hard to obtain within the British market. In this, the Government can help by ensuring guidance, support and a vision for this critical sector.

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