Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 July 2018
13. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to protect farmers in Border counties from a hard Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31058/18]
View answerBrexit has the potential to have a very significant impact on farmers and on the agrifood sector throughout Ireland, including in the border counties.
As the Deputy will be aware, the agrifood sector is of critical importance to the Irish economy, and its regional spread means it underpins the socio-economic development of rural Ireland and of the border region in particular.
In the first instance, the Government is seeking to minimise the impact of Brexit through a negotiated outcome which permits cross border trade to continue without impediment. In this regard, the UK commitment, in the Joint EU-UK Report of last December, to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, was extremely important.
Ensuring that the UK gives effect to this commitment is now a significant focus of the Irish Government, and we have the full support of our EU partners and of the European Commission Task Force in this regard. The so-called 'backstop' text that the EU has proposed in the draft Withdrawal Agreement provides certainty that in any circumstances, and no matter what the outcome of the negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and UK, there will be no hard border on the island of Ireland. Our preference is still for an overall EU-UK relationship which would resolve all issues, but it remains essential that a backstop is agreed which provides such certainty.
During my meeting with my UK counterpart, in London last month I reiterated these points, and I reminded him that if the Withdrawal Agreement is to be finalised, the Northern Ireland ‘backstop’ issue had to be delivered upon. I am conscious, of course, that the UK has advanced proposals which it asserts will avoid the need for the backstop to be triggered, on the basis that it will permit frictionless trade in foods to continue. These proposals will need to be carefully examined.
I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government remains very focused on supporting farmers and the agrifood industry through the challenges ahead, no matter where in Ireland they are based. The Government will be firm in arguing that any agreement reached between the EU and the UK must take account of the very serious challenges presented by Brexit for the sector, particularly given the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland and the importance of our economic relationship with the UK.
And, of course, ultimately Ireland's objective in the negotiations is to have a trading relationship with the entire UK which is as close as possible to the current arrangement.
