Irish Funding Allocation from EU Brexit Buffer Fund Simply Not Enough
Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has criticised the allocation of funding to Ireland by the EU from the Brexit Buffer Fund as simply not enough and which fails to recognise the unique vulnerability and proximity of Ireland to Brexit.
An Teachta Tóibín:
“When opposition parties were submitting their pre-budget submissions, there was an assumption that of the €5 billion Brexit Adjustment Reserve created by the EU and contributed to by Ireland, that a lot of that funding would go to Ireland. Several pre-budget submissions assumed that at least €2 billion if not more would be allocated to Ireland. It has now been announced that we would receive only €1 billion, notwithstanding our particularly vulnerability to Brexit and proximity to Britain.”
“The Irish government swore that after the EU budget deal, Ireland would be top of the queue in terms of receiving funding. Despite our vulnerability and proximity building, we only received €250 million more than the Netherlands. Our farmers, fishermen, our businesses are heavily reliant on Britain as a trading partner, and are more vulnerable to the ramifications of Brexit compared to their Dutch counterparts. This is the issue with the Brexit Buffer Fund, it is the division of €5 billion in funding amongst 27 states. It undercuts and underfunds Ireland’s needs to ensure every member state receives an allocation of funding. €1 billion will not recoup the losses of our fishermen or help our farmers or make it easier for border businesses to continue their trade both sides of the border. It is unquestionable that Ireland is the most vulnerable to Brexit by a country mile, the allocation of funding certainly does not reflect that fact.”
