Mr. Colm Markey:

I will use my time to touch on some of the areas mentioned regarding the opening remarks. Senator Chambers referred to some of the matters we have covered in detail, including a minimum tax rate, defence issues and aspects of the pandemic. The importance of agriculture did not come up much, nor indeed its importance as a multiplier in the local economy. Where agriculture must transition to during the current CAP is something that we could have spent a little more time talking about, but I will be happy to talk about it any time.

Turning to Senator Kyne's remarks, one aspect that I would like to pick up on, because it did not come up, is the Trans-European Transport Network, TEN-T, structure at European level in the context of transport in our region. We benefit very little from that programme. One thing which came to my attention in the transport committee, and which was initially brought to my attention by representatives of some of the ports in our region, is that the status of port traffic across Europe is measured by tonnage and passenger transport numbers. However, ports have become much more diversified or will do so in future. That will especially be the case if we develop offshore wind energy facilities off the coast of Ireland. Ports will have to facilitate significant construction and service requirements in that context. The method by which the status of TEN-T ports and similar scenarios in the wider transport network are gauged is not fit for purpose for our region in this respect. We must focus on that matter.

Regarding transition, the TEN-T scenario is one of the elements in that context. Investment in the agricultural sector, obviously, and the renewable energy sector has enormous capacity to regenerate a rural Ireland that would help to move our region out of its status as one in transition. Those undertakings would be in addition to the European Green Deal agenda, which has the potential to bring about a great deal of investment in our town centres, in the context of energy conservation of buildings, for example.Remote working offers us shorter transport commutes. It also offers us the opportunity to reinvigorate small towns and villages in the region of the Midlands-North-West. This is something very important that we could focus on.

In regard to Senator Mullen's remarks about protection of human rights and trade agreements, if we do not ensure human rights feature in all our trade agreements, apart from anything else, it is going to leave us at a competitive disadvantage, because if the standards we demand from our competitors are not equal to the standards demanded by the EU, then we are undermining the businesses which deliver the higher standards.

I can translate that argument across to environmental legislation and the economy. If we do not demand from our competitors the same standards that apply in Europe for the food and the produce we produce, we are undermining our own industries which are doing things to the best standards. It is critical in any trade agreement or policy going forward that we demand similar standards from developing countries and third countries, although primarily third countries because there are different considerations in developing countries. We need to look at how that impacts on us at home.

Other points were made that I would like to pick up on, but time will not allow. I will finish by saying that this engagement is very important. It allows us to put on the issues on the agenda at a European level and it allows Members to put the issues on the ground onto the European stage. I would like such engagement to continue into the future, if possible.