Mattie McGrath urges debate on fishing, cross-border rules

I totally agree, and I also want to add in a readiness in regard to the fishing industry and the serious loss that are going to impact on our fisheries industry, and also, as I said, the connectivity with Europe, and also I want to mention the cross-border directive. We need a debate on those. We have been held on a string in regard to the EU cross-border directive regarding people driving, or thousands have travelled, and we understand now that it is going to be a scheme handed back to the HSE, who failed the people in the first instance. So we need to debate those issues in the Parliament this week, and this side of Christmas, certainly, because after that it is into January and it is all out of the gap, and God knows it is going to happen, but it is a message of the wave, so we need a debate on those issues. Richard? First of all, I thank Deputy Callan and Deputy McGrath for raising the issue. I think it is a fair point in terms of the necessity for a debate in relation to Brexit preparedness. Now, let's be honest, too, we did have a good debate in the context of the Brexit bill, omnibus bill, that went through the House, I think, beginning two weeks ago, and that various ministers took in respect of their various areas of responsibility in terms of preparations and decisions we have taken to prepare for Brexit. Because even in the event of a deal, if there was a deal, we are still feeling, sorry, we are still facing a significant degree of disruption. I mean, you are going from a million and a half customs declarations per annum prior to Brexit to 20 million per annum, even in the context of a trade deal. So, the enormity of this cannot be understated, and we do know that, notwithstanding the fact that about 72,000 companies have now registered with revenue, representing about 97% value of our exports, quite a significant number of SMEs have not registered and are not prepared. And there's been a low take-up of the grant of 9,000 to facilitate companies to employ someone to help them with their customs. So, yes, I, but whether we could do it next week, it might be, because I have to go to the council meeting, I'm going Wednesday afternoon for Thursday and Friday. I do have to alert the House to the fact that we could be very well discussing preparations for a no-deal Brexit. The situation is very serious in terms of where we are now. This isn't about choreography, as some people might think. There's a very serious issue in the respective level playing field that will be difficult to resolve. And unfortunately, we are facing the prospect of a no-deal Brexit if something doesn't break that over the next day or two. So, that's why I have no difficulty in accepting the request. And just to add that I do also have to say, I do welcome the decision of the British Government to pull back and withdraw the offending clauses of the Internal Market Bill. And also not to proceed with the offending clauses in the Taxation Bill later this week. I think that paves the way for the operation of the Protocol and the Withdrawal Agreement, which Commissioner Sefkovic and Michael Gove have been negotiating for quite some time. Those negotiations went smoothly in the last two weeks and have hardened out a lot of difficulties, which on that front and in that strand of the talks is positive in terms of the all-island economy and in terms of the border issue. But, however, of great significance, as Deputy McGrath has said, is the implications of the UK-EU future trading relationship, which poses a very significant challenge to us. And will have implications for fisheries, will have implications for the agri-food and agri-food business in particular, for the west of Ireland and the border counties, if a no-deal is where we end up in the next week or so. Thank you, Taoiseach. It would appear appropriate in light of what Taoiseach says and what the members have raised that the Business Committee would look at setting a time aside next week, additional time for the debates you are referring to. Thank you, Taoiseach.