Yesterday the issue of additional lairage for livestock at ports, particularly Calais, was raised, but my question is wider. What efforts are being made to ensure Irish hauliers, goods and trucks that will be entering or exiting EU ports will be given priority over hauliers, goods and trucks from non-EU states post-Brexit, thus limiting or mitigating concerns, particularly those of the Irish Road Haulage Association and its members, about delays in carrying on trade within EU member states?

I call Deputies Michael and Danny Healy-Rae to raise the same matter.

Deputy Breathnach is after catching me on the hop. When he raised the issue of exports, I thought he was going to speak about the pressure we were under in trying to fulfil beef contracts with China. The factories are not doing anything to assist in that respect. I call on the Government and the Minister-----

That is a different matter. It is not about lairage.

No, but Deputy Breathnach spoke initially about exports. To be honest-----

I mentioned imports and exports.

Will the Ceann Comhairle indulge me in raising the issue of beef exports to China? Currently, there are 11 meat plants, six for beef and five for pigmeat. Will the Taoiseach ensure more plants are opened to enable us to fulfil our obligations and enable hard-pressed farmers to send their beef to China?

A Ceann Comhairle-----

No, Deputy; the issue being raised is not the same as the previous one which was related to lairage.

I hope I will be called soon.

The Deputy is on the list.

On the issue of haulage, what we trying to achieve in securing ratification of the withdrawal agreement is a transition period to the end of 2020 during which nothing will change at ports. However, in a no-deal scenario lorries going from Ireland to an EU port will enter just as they do now, but those that will use the landbridge and travel through the United Kingdom may face difficulty. I am not sure if it will be possible for receiving ports on continental Europe to make a distinction between lorries from the United Kingdom and those from Ireland, but it is something we are examining.

What about our beef exports to China?

Is the Deputy asking me to open factories?

I am asking the Taoiseach to ensure more factories and plants will be opened to process beef in order that farmers will be able to send it to China to fulfil contracts. The factories are monopolising and not allowing beef to be exported to China.

Does the Taoiseach have a response on that matter?

It is a matter for the factories, but we are available to assist in any way we can.