Employers seek supports for farmers
Representatives from Food Drink Ireland (FDI) and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) have told the Seanad select committee on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU that Ireland needs to push to maintain tariff-free access to the UK market post-Brexit. They have also called for an EU state aid framework to support vulnerable businesses.
FDI director Paul Kelly said: “With 40% of total food and drink exports going to the UK, Ireland is far more exposed than any other European country to Brexit. Supply chains in the food sector are deeply integrated between our two countries.
“The continued, uninterrupted flow of these supply chains is essential to the competitiveness of food and drink businesses on both islands. It is vital that Brexit negotiations deliver the closest possible economic and trading relationship between the EU and the UK into the future. Agri-food is the Irish sector most exposed to trade disruption, and the Irish Government must do all within its control to ensure minimum impact to the free flow of goods.”
The groups called for the re-introduction of the employment subsidy scheme and the enterprise stabilisation measures, which were last applied during the financial crisis in 2009-2011.
They also called for €25m in funding for market diversification and product innovation measures, administered by Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland.
