Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Another concern I have is over the status of Irish people living in the United Kingdom after Brexit. According to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the right of Irish people to live and work in Britain should not be affected by Brexit. He told a House of Lords select committee that the British Government stood fully behind its commitments under the Good Friday Agreement, including in regard to the right of people born in Northern Ireland to be citizens of the United Kingdom or Ireland and to be treated equally in both jurisdictions. The committee also heard from Mr. Robin Walker, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, who said maintaining the soft Border on the island of Ireland would be a red line in the United Kingdom's Brexit negotiations with Europe. Even with these statements, can we be sure this will be the case? Has the Irish Government received any indications or assurances from the European Union about the post-Brexit status of the many Irish living in the United Kingdom?

The possible fallout from Brexit for the Irish economy is very worrying, as the progress that has been achieved in the past few years through the sacrifices made and still being made by the people may suffer a real setback with any increase in unemployment in the food and drink, agrifood and tourism industries. These issues now need to be addressed. A plan must be made to ensure the negative effects of Brexit should be kept to a minimum.