Committee to examine effects of cross-border shopping

The Oireachtas Enterprise Committee is due to visit the border region today to investigate the impact of the recent upsurge in cross-border shopping.

Committee members will be visiting Ballyclare, Banbridge, Belfast and Dundalk as part of a two-day fact-finding mission.

They hope to get a first-hand impression of how currency fluctuations, business costs and differences in VAT and prices are affecting retailers operating south of the border.

The visit follows Superquinn's recent announcement of plans to close its Dundalk store with the loss of 70 jobs.

The company is blaming the huge upsurge in shoppers travelling across the border to avail of lower prices.