A special emergency Brexit fund for the Irish border counties is urgently needed, an MEP candidate said on Saturday.
Brendan Smith, TD and Fianna Fáil MEP candidate for the Midlands North West constituency, said a multi-billion euro emergency fund should be set up in advance of the UK leaving the European Union.
Mr Smith said the Irish government is failing to ensure the economic security for people and businesses in rural Ireland, ahead of the UK’s exit.
“When you consider the vulnerabilities of the Irish economy, particularly for us in the border and midland regions, it should be imperative funding is secured,” Mr Smith said.
“The Government and EU Council should convene a Special EU Summit to negotiate and establish a multi-billion Brexit emergency fund with specific funding being earmarked for the Border, Midland and Western Region.”
The MEP candidate said this should be done in the interests of regional development and sustaining employment in all sectors, particularly in agriculture.
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“There are farming families, rural businesses and communities that will be in urgent need of financial support to withstand the potential losses expected when Britain leaves the European Union in 2019,” said Mr Smith.
“The people of the Border, Midlands and Western Region are very concerned about the potentially devastating economic effects associated with Brexit but are seriously disappointed with the Government’s apparent inaction and failure to propose or implement any measure to safeguard or protect jobs and investment in our region.”
An Irish Brexit Emergency Fund is therefore crucial in order to provide for people in the north west and border regions of the country, the former minister for Agriculture said.
“The establishment of an Irish Brexit Emergency Fund would provide the necessary economic and developmental aid to support investment in critical infrastructure projects, sustain,” said Mr Smith.
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“It would create rural employment opportunities, support agri-business and rural development, encourage investment in rural tourism and to compensate Irish Industry for the loss of business activity emanating from Brexit.
“This Government has consistently failed the people of Rural Ireland through their Dublin centred policies and fascination with spin and now is the time for action. Now is the time for the creation of an Irish Brexit Emergency Fund,” added Mr Smith.
One of the most difficult and contentious issues throughout the Brexit negotiations has been the Northern Irish ‘backstop’, an insurance policy to avoid a return to controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic, which were ended by the Good Friday Agreement 30 years ago.
The EU has stated that without a backstop, there will be no Brexit deal with the UK.
