Brexit support for border businesses
Deputy McLoughlin asked what the Government was doing to protect Border-region businesses from Brexit. Minister Coveney pointed to a forthcoming all-island forum in the Border region, a €300 million loan scheme and the Government’s refusal to accept new border infrastructure.
It is a question for the Taoiseach or the Tánaiste. It pertains to the many commitments made in the programme for Government aimed at protecting Ireland from the harmful effects of Brexit. The up-to-date expert opinion is that the Border region of Ireland will be the worst hit region in the country, with many business owners already starting to struggle due to decreased tourism from the UK and a weak pound sterling. On that basis, perhaps the Taoiseach or Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, can advise me as to what the Government is doing to protect small businesses in my constituency of Sligo-Leitrim, Donegal and the other Border counties from the harmful effects of Brexit?
Comment on this
Maybe I will give the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, a rest on this one.
Two tangible examples are that the next significant national consultation of the all-island Brexit forum will happen in the Border region, and this morning, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, launched a €300 million loan scheme to assist businesses that will be impacted, potentially negatively, by Brexit. Finally, the Government remains steadfast in ensuring that we will not see the re-emergence of border infrastructure in the Border counties in Ireland or, for that manner, anywhere else on this island.
We are doing a lot to protect the interests of businesses and communities living on both sides of the Border.