Róisín Garvey (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I have not had the opportunity to speak to him ever before. I have to say I do not always agree with his politics but in this case he is doing stellar work.

I want to mention a few matters around the SME sector as I am the Green Party spokesperson for enterprise, trade and employment. On 9 September, the Government published the Brexit readiness action plan. It provides clear and concise advice on steps that need to be taken now by businesses and individuals in order to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December. As of 1 January 2021, the UK will be outside the EU's Single Market and customs union. This will have significant implications for every business that moves goods to, from or through Great Britain. All Departments, Government agencies and regulatory bodies are preparing for the end of this transition period.

I welcome the new measures to help businesses to get ready under the Brexit readiness programme the Government has implemented. These include a new €20 million ready for customs support scheme. This financial incentive of up to €9,000 is available through Enterprise Ireland. Skillnet Ireland has also launched a free online customs training programme called Clear Customs. The clear message from all of these groups is not to wait but it act now. For microbusinesses, on 23 November the Tánaiste launched a new Microfinance Ireland Brexit loan scheme of up to €25,000 for those likely to be impacted by Brexit. Enterprise Ireland is running an online customs insight course. The local enterprise offices are running a second phase of their successful one-to-one Brexit mentoring and training, called Prepare Your Business for Customs. Businesses also need longer-term funding for investment purposes and the Government has expanded the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, future growth loan scheme up to €800 million.The Government wrote to all 225,000 businesses through the Companies Registration Office setting out the full range of business, advisory and funding assistance available. The Taoiseach visited Dublin Port and saw first hand the preparations under way. It is vital that all businesses that trade with Great Britain or use the land bridge ensure they are ready to complete customs and regulatory declarations from 1 January or are ready to switch to direct sailings. We know this is an extremely challenging time for businesses across the country. The Government will continue to provide support and guidance to reduce the impact of Brexit as much as possible.

I wish to briefly refer to local enterprise offices. I have talked to the president, vice-president and some of the CEOs who all agreed that, in fairness to the Government, there has been significant support and expertise available to them but they wished there was more uptake by businesses. I encourage businesses to visit localenterprise.ieand preparingforbrexit.combecause it would be a shame if businesses did not prepare by availing of information and supports.

It is important that we consider our imports from the UK. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a Teagasc meeting. One figure that stood out was the volume of animal feedstuffs that are imported from mainland Britain with 56% of our imports based around animal feed. I hope to speak to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Minister of State who has responsibility for land use about animal feed. I hope that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, as a former Minister for agriculture, will lend his support because the less dependent we are on imports from England, the more resilient we will become as a country. There is lots of land that is under used here and I would like some of it to be used to create our own Irish animal feeds.

Finally, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association has done amazing work and provides a one-stop-shop for all small businesses. It is time now that businesses look at all of the supports that the Government has put in place. I cannot fault the Government as significant work has been done by all Departments. For example, two years ago the staff at the ports examined what needed to be done. That plan has been implemented and the infrastructure is in place, as mentioned by the Minister. Go n-éirí leis an Aire agus tá súil agam go mbeimid in ann seasamh ar ár gcosa féin tar éis Brexit.