Brexit Taoiseach meets fishing representatives about impact of deal
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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has held talks with representatives of the fishing organisations about the implications of the post-Brexit trade deal for the industry
The Taoiseach, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue all took part in the discussion, held ahead of a specially convened meeting of Cabinet late on Monday afternoon where supports for fishing will be explored.
The Taoiseach, said his spokesman, acknowledged the severe impact the outcome of the Brexit negotiations would have on the fishing industry in Ireland and the disappointment expressed by the representative bodies.
His spokesman said the Government was fully committed to engaging with the representative bodies and working with and for the sector and coastal communities in the coming period.
“The Government will have an initial discussion of the matter at its meeting today. The Taoiseach confirmed that all possible avenues to support the sector would be examined, and a comprehensive plan would be developed in consultation with the representative bodies,” said the spokesman.
The meeting was originally scheduled for tomorrow but has been brought forward. The Westminster parliament is expected to ratify the deal on Wednesday
The UK parliament will meet on Wednesday to vote on the agreement.
Earlier on Monday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Brexit will result in the Irish economy growing by 2 or 3 per cent less than it would have over the next 10 years, but it will not cause a recession,
The Tánaiste said some disruption at ports, in Ireland at at Holyhead and Dover, is anticipated as the UK leaves the EU single market and customs union on January 1st. Mr Varadkar said businesses would have to be prepared for “red tape” concerning customs declarations and checks.
Mr Varadkar told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that while there would be disruptions, the situation could have been worse.
“Just think how different it could have been. Four and a half years ago, when the UK voted to leave the European Union, we we worried about a hard border between North and South. We were concerned that our businesses – our farmers, our agri-food sector – could face tariffs on trade with Britain.
“This is a much softer Brexit than the one we feared four and a half years ago.”
Asked about potential job losses, Mr Varadkar said there were supports in place for various sectors. He said an approval is due today of a €100million scheme to assist the food sector to adapt, to be run through Enterprise Ireland.
There is also €5billion available from the EU Brexit adjustment reserve fund, some of which will be used to assist the Irish fisheries sector, he said.
“In terms of the impact on the economy, we estimate what we’ll see over the course of the next t10 years is the economy growing . . . by 2 or 3 per cent less than it would, but not causing a recession,” said Mr Varadkar.
Economy
Monday’s Cabinet meeting comes as senior political and industry figures warned that key sectors of the economy would face disruption despite the agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Mr McConalogue said there was “no doubt” that the trade deal would have a negative impact on the fishing industry. Although he welcomed the deal, saying it had avoided the worst effects of no-deal, he said “it will mean reductions in quota levels for some species from April”.
“The Government is fully assessing the outcome of the deal from a fisheries perspective and is determined to ensure the sector is fully supported,” he said. “Work on the full assessment of the outcome will continue over the coming days.”
In the short term, fishermen will be able to continue fishing under existing quota arrangements from January 1st until the end of March.
Government sources said that while Covid-19 and the State’s vaccination programme would probably be discussed on Monday, the main item on the agenda would be the terms of the Brexit deal.
As different sectors continue to analyse the deal, Aidan Flynn, general manager of the Freight Transport Association Ireland, said the UK “land bridge” was “still compromised”.
Mr Flynn said that although the early days of January were usually quiet, volumes would increase into January and February. “As they increase, requirements to be compliant are going to cause delays, which we are of course concerned with.”