Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will the Acting Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, to the House to discuss Brexit, specifically in the context of yesterday's comprehensive report on Brexit and, more particularly, in the context of its impact on the Border areas and on communities in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Donegal and Sligo? The counties along the Border are likely to be hit in a particular way. There are 30,000 journeys across the Border every day and a great deal of sourcing of agricultural product for processing on both sides of the Border. There is also much trade across the Border. Tourism is a major issue and the fluctuation in the value of sterling is affecting it. There is also the connection of kinship and people crossing the Border for education, health care, summer courses and so forth. There is huge interaction and trading across the Border and the Border counties are liable to be impacted hugely by Brexit. We must have a special debate on that facet of Brexit and I ask the Acting Leader to prioritise it.Agriculture is the major contributor to exports to the UK. Food processing and farming in counties like Cavan and Monaghan are huge and stand to be badly affected.