Brexit: Republic of Ireland faces ‘empty shelves, job losses and rising prices’

The Freight Transport Association of Ireland (FTAI) general manager Aidan Flynn has written to Taoiseach Micheal Martin warning him of empty supermarket shelves, job losses and rising prices unless the Government takes action to assist the industry trying to bring goods into the country.

He also said the industry was struggling to keep the flow of goods moving.

“There is a growing backlog of goods of all hues, from mechanical parts (car parts) to electrical household goods, furniture, clothing, food supplies, sitting in depots because there are not enough agents to process the declarations correctly,” he said.

“There are issues with the systems and there are problems with providing enough support and guidance on the new requirements to industry to make this work.

“The net result will be that companies operating on very tight margins will cease trading, creating unemployment, supply lines will disappear, and the consumer will be left with less supply and increased prices.”

Mr Martin said he read the letter yesterday and shares their concerns. He added that an additional 1,500 people have been employed to manage the new custom rules.

“Now that Brexit has become a reality, we are seeing operational effects on supply chains, and on ports, on trade between Great Britain and the European Union countries, including Ireland,” he added.

Tim Cullinan of the Irish Farmers Association said the farming and food sector also had real concerns about how non-tariff barriers will impact on the Republic’s ability to keep trade flows moving.

He said UK plans to open their food markets to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and South America could see the UK flooded with cheap food imports, which would result in the Republic’s farmers suffering huge income losses.

He has repeatedly called on the Irish government and the EU to launch a €400m support fund for Irish farmers and a €5bn EU Brexit adjustment fund.

Meanwhile, the TUV proposed a new trade body to promote trade within the UK. Party leader Jim Allister said the party remained pro-Brexit and anti-NI protocol.

However he proposed an InterTrade UK body to “overcome all hindrances to internal UK trade and enhance the global competitiveness of the whole UK economy in light of opportunities across the world”.

The statutory body would operate under the Secretary of State for Business at Westminster and the NI Minister of the Economy.

Based in NI, its appointees would include economy ministers from all four UK regions, he added.

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