James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Seanad committee and its Chair, Senator Richmond, for all the work it has done on this issue.

Echoing what Senator Buttimer had to say, the Government has done a considerable amount of work on this issue. Lest Senator Paul Daly be under any illusion otherwise, it is reflected in the communications from both Europe regarding Brexit and the letter from the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, to Europe on her plans for leaving the EU in terms of the special mention of Ireland and the special relationship, and the special difficulties that this creates for this island and for our Republic as well.

We know the big issues include agriculture, agribusiness, tourism and many other challenges, as my colleague, Senator Kieran O'Donnell, has just pointed out. However, there are opportunities. One of those opportunities that immediately springs to mind, and was in the newspapers today, is the European Medicines Agency. I see our colleagues in Holland are making their play for this agency. To my mind, we are a natural fit for this agency. We are the only remaining English-speaking country, if one excludes Malta, in the EU. We have a long history and a well-respected Irish medicines agency, now called the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA. On top of that, we have a well-educated young population and we have two sites on offer where it could be located. The one which I would obviously have a preference for is at Dublin Airport where we already have planning permission for four large office blocks, each capable of housing 1,000 workers. Clearly, it has the connectivity to the rest of Europe and the United States with over 100 flights a week in that direction. It also has considerable connectivity nationally because of the motorway network.

Obviously, for those who would be leaving the UK and looking forward to settling in a new home, this location would provide an easy place to move to and, with the early morning flights and connectivity to so many different airports in Britain, allow them to remain and not have to move their families move for some time until they can meet the necessary arrangements. We have the educational facilities. We have excellent universities, such as DCU, UCD, RCSI and Trinity, and many other facilities around Fingal and the Dublin area which would be very attractive. I could not let the opportunity pass today when we are discussing Brexit without mentioning this, as I saw that report today.

On a broader note, we have had many meetings on Brexit at the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. We invited in all the various stakeholders, as did the Seanad. I was here at some of the meetings in the Seanad as well.

There clearly are challenges. The Government is alive and alert to them. It has done a significant amount of preparatory work but we can never be sure what the future holds. Therefore, we must remain alert and that is what the Government is doing.

I commend my colleagues on the Seanad committee. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the Seanad in her new role and wish her well. It is a serious challenge ahead, but one that I am convinced she is more than equal to.

I believe that we do not take anything for granted. We must be alert to the problems and the challenges coming, but that focus must never remove our vision for the opportunities that will come our way.