Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would like to welcome the Minister, Deputy Coveney, to the House. I wish to start my contribution by joining with colleagues in thanking Senator Chambers for her leadership and inclusivity in relation to our committee. It has been a learning curve for many of us. As a new Seanad Member, it was very important to me how she treated new Members and everyone on the committee. I thank her for her inclusivity in everything that she did in relation to getting us all together and arranging the list of people who we engaged with over the period of time the committee sat. As I said, it was very educational as well.I thank Mr. Christy Haughton, the clerk to the committee, and all of those who helped us in preparing the report and its final stages.

I thank the Minister again. As he mentioned, he has spent six years dealing with Brexit. We all owe him a depth of gratitude for his work on Brexit. I am particularly pleased to hear that he has engaged successfully with the new UK Brexit lead, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. It is good to hear the relationship has developed in the weeks since she took over the role. That is very encouraging and will be welcomed by everybody. It is important to repeat the Minister's point that the EU is willing to implement the protocol and sit down and speak but it is not willing to renegotiate the protocol. As the Minister said, the EU is not willing to renegotiate a deal that is just two years old. That is a very important message to go out and one the committee heard loud and clear from many of the businesses we dealt with from the North of Ireland. As the Minister said, many of those businesses are now beginning to see the benefits of what has happened in the past two years. I believe they will see further benefits in the next couple of years.

The Minister mentioned that the State agencies have come together to streamline the process of imports from the UK. That is my experience but there still are problems in some of the sectors. I have been contacted by people in a number of sectors about problems they face. It was one of the issues the committee discussed at length. I acknowledge the fact that the different agencies involved have put their heads together to ensure imports are processed in the quickest possible time. As I said, however, a small number of problems remain but I am sure they will be ironed out in the coming weeks and months.

On the previous two occasions we spoke, I raised with the Minister the issues we will face this year when we start exporting to the UK. The Minister stated there was a lot of work on the way to help Irish companies with their exports to the UK. I would appreciate if he would indicate what that help involves. I have been contacted by many companies worried about that particular aspect and perhaps the Minister will reassure them tonight. I refer in particular to companies in the agrifood sector, which are worried about what may face them in 2022. I ask the Minister to give an update on the work under way in that area. I know work is under way because many of these companies have been contacted. That is very important and they appreciate it. However, they do not want to experience problems with exports. Most of the queries come from the agrifood sector.

Rosslare Europort is a critically important issue for us, particularly my committee colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne, and my Labour Party colleague, Deputy Howlin. I welcome the investment by the Government. It will lead to a sea change for that part of the country and make a difference for the entire country as we look past the UK to the Continent for new markets. That is an aspect that was mentioned in the committee a number of times. It is good to have that investment. As someone who travels near to the M50 every day, which is also mentioned in the report, I ask that the Government continue to develop that infrastructure. As I am sure Senator Byrne will mention, the completion of the motorway to Rosslare would make a huge difference to the haulage companies I have spoken to, which deliver goods around the country and head off to European markets.

In fairness to the Minister, he has always said he would continue to support the cross-border health directive. The Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme has been in process since late last year. This has made a difference to many people's lives, as the Minister is aware. Many of the contributors to the committee told us about the difference the scheme made to their lives and how it allowed them to continue in different forms of work. The Minister will not be surprised to hear me mention a particular sector, namely, the Defence Forces and the PDFORRA medical assistance scheme, PMAS. The Defence Forces wrote to the Department in 2019 regarding the formal recognition of PMAS. I ask the Minister to comment on whether he will formally recognise the scheme. He is aware of the massive contribution it has made to the Defence Forces in retaining personnel. Well over 300 personnel have used PMAS and continue to work in the Defence Forces. The Minister has taken every opportunity to state it is important that we retain as many personnel as possible in the Defence Forces. I am sure those who administer PMAS would be grateful if he could acknowledge that and, more important, secure financial support for it. As they develop the scheme and roll it out to the families of Defence Forces personnel, it will be very welcome. The cross-border healthcare directive has made a huge difference. The Minister's acknowledgement again this evening that it will continue will be welcomed by all members of the committee.

I acknowledge what others have said about the people who live in the northern part of Ireland. One of the most important aspects of my membership of the committee is the dialogue we have had with those who live up there. It showed that we are one island. That dialogue must continue. It has been encouraging to hear so many people compliment our work, particularly over the last year. The message we must convey is that we need to continue that conversation. I, again, thank the Minister for the part he has played in reaching this point. I also acknowledge again the work done by Senator Chambers as the Chair of the committee.