Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has called on the Government and the relevant state agencies to engage with businesses, exporters, and the stakeholders to ensure that Brexit trade complications are rectified as a matter of urgency.

Speaking today, Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Businesses and exporters have been contending with the new trading terms between Ireland/EU and Britain which came into force on 1 January.

“Unfortunately, these businesses are now being exposed to the realities of a hard-Tory Brexit as we witness significant disruption to trading and supply chains that have been built over decades. 

“The low level of freight entering and exiting the State during the early days of 2021 covered over the serious problems which were developing due to the complications of the new trading arrangement.

“In the past number of days these complications have caused havoc for exportation and importation of goods for Irish businesses.

“These problems are as a result of the complexity of the new trading arrangement and the paperwork and IT systems which now exist to deal with this new post-Brexit trade reality.

“Stakeholders and businesses groups, as well as State agencies such as Revenue, have highlighted many of the problems which have arisen, and they have also identified what needs to be done to rectify these.

“It is of the utmost importance that the Government brings all these groups together to identify the main difficulties and put solutions in place before the current public health restrictions are relaxed and trade increases exponentially.”