Republic of Ireland farmers ‘very anxious’ about ‘no deal Brexit’ - DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson says Dublin must work with UK and not against it or they too ‘stand to be big losers’

Irish Farmers Association (IFA) President Tim Cullinan was speaking ahead of this week’s EU Council meeting. He said that half Irish beef and cheese exports go the UK and one third of Irish food exports.

EU sources have confirmed that the EU Union Customs Code - which is creating a customs regulatory barrier between Northern Ireland and GB - will also apply to Republic of Ireland trade with the UK.

But Mr Cullinnan said: “Irish farmers are very anxious about the impact of a ‘no deal’ Brexit,” he said. “The UK market is very important for us, particularly for beef and dairy products. The fear is that we are very close to the end of 2020 and we have yet to agree a deal.

“The proposed tariff rates [of a no deal] would be very punishing,” he said.

Mr Cullinnan said that a no deal Brexit would mean;-

:: Irish beef that goes to the UK market would cost €8.5m (£7.7m) more each week

:: Punitive tariffs of 52% on cheddar cheese would be very severe as half Irish cheese goes to the UK

:: On butter, the rate of 43% would have “a dramatic effect” on the market.

:: A recent study by London School of Economics shows the “most benign” outcome would be a 10% drop in Irish exports

“It is clear that the ability of our exporters to continue trading with the UK would be put into question. This would, in turn, have a deeply damaging impact on the incomes of dairy farmers.”

Mr Cullinan said it was clear that Irish farmers’ interests lie in maintaining full access and frictionless trade North-South and East-West.

“The ideal way to achieve this, would be for the UK to remain within the Single Market and the Customs Union but its intention of leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union makes it impossible to retain the kind of frictionless trade we have today”.

DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said that nobody wants a “no-deal” outcome and that it is clearly in Northern Ireland’s interests to have a free trade agreement between the UK and the EU.

“The Irish Government should want the same and be working for this. In fact their worries are greater than ours as the UK Internal Market Bill alleviates some of the regulatory friction between NI and GB that the EU are trying to impose. However, it brings no relief for the Republic.

“Additionally, NI remains in the UK customs territory whereas the Republic is outside it. No wonder Irish beef farmers and other agri-food sectors in the Republic of Ireland are besides themselves with worry about a no deal outcome, they sell over half their beef to GB.

“Meanwhile, [Irish Deputy Prime Minister] Simon Coveney runs off to Washington to try and sabotage a UK-USA trade deal, thus deflecting from the internal concerns of many Irish businesses and trying to make it look like the Irish Government is battling against the UK. In fact, the Irish need to be working with the UK to sort this out before we get into ‘no deal’ territory where they also stand to be big losers.”

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