The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has called for a detailed plan to be drawn up on the assumption that Britain will leave the EU without a deal, thereby putting significant tariffs on Irish goods exported there.
The UK House of Commons is set to vote on a withdrawal agreement today, January 15, that if defeated, would likely see Britain exit the EU on March 29 without a deal.
Pat McCormack, ICMSA president, said: “Ireland must proceed and plan on the basis that the UK will exit the EU on March 29 without any deal and with all the consequences for trade and free movement that this ‘crash out’ entails.”
He argued that the Government’s “duty-of-care now dictated” that it accepts that a no-deal Brexit is on the cards, and to start planning accordingly.
“Ireland is the member state most affected by Brexit, and Irish farmers are the sector most affected within Ireland,” said McCormack.
We will therefore expect the Government and EU to announce their plans and funding arrangements aimed at attempting to offset the worst damage that this situation will inflict on the people most affected in the state by the no-deal Brexit that the clock is now ticking down towards.
“Detailed sector-specific plans must be published, the time for generalisations is over. We need to see the detail and the funding to back it up,” he added.
McCormack argued that, once it is accepted that a no-deal Brexit is a reality, then the Government here and the EU must support the sectors that will be the most affected.
The vote on the withdrawal agreement is due to take place today sometime after 7:00pm.