I think it is sunny everywhere today except in the Dáil.

I got a very disturbing email yesterday containing photographs of a queue in Dover. The Port of Dover has apparently instituted migrant checks which meant it took commercial traffic three hours to travel 1.8 km. The effects of Brexit are still four months away.

In recent weeks the UK Government introduced the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21. By the UK Government's own admission, this breaches Article 4 of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement, an international treaty. In so doing, the UK Government has decided to breach its international obligations under an international treaty in order to safeguard national interests. It has admitted this to the entire world. The UK's reputation for dealing in good faith has been irreparably damaged worldwide, and it does not appear to have taken a feather out of the political leadership.

With this in mind, there is grave concern that the UK will also renege on its commitments to the transit arrangement concerning the UK landbridge. There is no guarantee that the UK will honour the Common Transit Convention, which allows the passage of Irish trucks carrying valuable Irish exports through the network of UK roads and ports to mainland Europe. Every year more than 150,000 trucks come and go from Dublin Port and Rosslare Europort and use the landbridge. This trade has an estimated value of more than €18 billion. Many of these trucks are carrying fresh produce such as beef and lamb from Wexford factories like Slaney Foods International in Clohamon, Irish Country Meats in Camolin and Kavanagh Meats Ireland in Enniscorthy. These three factories employ 1,100 workers, not including farmers, hauliers and service providers. Just a fraction of that cohort has been in touch with me to voice their concern that the UK's actions could signal the end of the landbridge transit arrangement.

Can the Taoiseach tell the House whether this transit arrangement has been secured as part of the withdrawal agreement? Moreover, what preparations has the Government made to safeguard Irish exports, jobs and businesses if the UK reneges on the Common Transit Convention and prevents Irish trucks from using the land bridge?

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important and pertinent issue. Maintaining the UK landbridge as an effective route to market has been a key priority in the Government's Brexit planning. The Irish Maritime Development Office estimates that there are approximately 150,000 landbridge movements annually, with an estimated trade value of €18.2 billion. This is a very important connection. As the Deputy outlined, many of these goods are agri-food products with a short shelf life, such as fresh fish, which makes the landbridge particularly valuable. It is the most viable route to market for many of those goods.

The UK's accession to the Common Transit Convention is welcome. For the information of Members, that allows goods in transit to move through the United Kingdom without undergoing full import or export customs formalities on entry and exit. We have engaged in substantial talks at official and political levels across the European Union to ensure that EU goods in transit via the landbridge will not be subject to additional and unnecessary checks and controls. We have worked especially closely with our French, German, Dutch and Belgian counterparts to understand each other's operations and plans for the post-transition period.

The Deputy has raised the question of the UK Government's commitment to this in light of its introduction of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill 2019-21, which runs counter to and represents a disavowal of the withdrawal agreement, a binding international treaty, and the Northern Ireland protocol. I have spoken to the UK Prime Minister and pointed out in no uncertain terms that this is unacceptable. It breaches an international treaty and raises questions about the UK Government's commitment to any further agreements that might be concluded. We are working with our EU colleagues in that regard.

I asked what preparations have been made.

I will come to that. I wish to state that in that context, we get no sense from the UK Government that there will be any attempt to undermine such trade. London is still adamant that it wants a comprehensive free trade agreement and does not want disruption. We have had no indication whatsoever of any negativity around the landbridge, or any attempt to undermine its importance to Ireland's exports to mainland Europe.

The Department and those involved in the sector are of the view that we have sufficient capacity to deal with this.

Obviously, it is something we will continually monitor. As the Deputy is aware, there is significant investment going into Rosslare Europort, including the €30 million plan and, in terms of Brexit, the 10-acre site that was acquired and developed to provide inspection facilities and so forth.

I did not hear the relevant provisions. There should be a provision for capacity, which is currently on the UK side, to be diverted in the event that the UK carries on in the way it did in the past week and reneges on the common transit convention. The convention means that businesses must put financial guarantees in place just for the privilege of crossing the UK. If it will take three hours to travel 1.8 km, as was the case yesterday, that effectively will mean the drivers' regulation will be kaput and the land bridge will be defunct. I am asking the Taoiseach why we have not invested the necessary €100 million or €150 million in Rosslare Europort to safeguard €18 billion in trade. That investment should be made to put direct ferry services in and build a port of the future at the most strategic port in the country in order to get goods to mainland Europe and circumvent that three-hour delay. It would mean that drivers would have certainty in their planning. As a result of the driving regulations, they must plan every minute of their day from the time they leave the meat factory or fishing port. They have a 15-hour period within which to start and finish driving. The three-hour delay experienced yesterday meant that drivers spent nine or ten extra hours in the UK. That is putting trade and jobs at risk. Rather than supporting businesses, the Government is putting them at risk. By failing to make provision for a daily service, we are putting ourselves in the hands of the UK. It will be able to pull the rug out from under us and tell us we will not be able to use the land bridge. I am asking the Taoiseach to make provision for direct daily services immediately.

I have discussed Rosslare Europort with the Deputy and she is aware that there are issues relating to its capacity to move very quickly or immediately on a €150 million project. Its planning application in terms of the master plan, which involves an investment of more than €30 million in customer facilities, port infrastructure, assets and new technology by the port authority, has already been lodged with Wexford County Council. There will be further resources under the Brexit plan. As far as we are concerned, whatever measures are necessary will be undertaken in relation to-----

Daily direct ferry services are needed.

-----the capacity that is required but-----

I am seeking a commitment to daily direct ferry services.

The Taoiseach without interruption.

The Government will do what is required in terms of our export trade-----

Daily direct ferry services are required.

-----but we need to get what is already planned and initiated done and delivered.

The Government is leaving us wide open.

There are issues on the ground there in terms of getting things moving. The planning application has just been lodged.

I know that. The €150 million needed for daily services-----

It cannot be done overnight.

One cannot have daily services if------

I will take on board the Deputy's comments.