Sinn Féin Leader in the Seanad and member of the Good Friday Agreement Committee, Senator Conor Murphy, has urged the Irish Government to take the lead on issues raised by members of Chambers of Commerce from the border counties.
Senator Murphy said, “In today’s session, members of the Good Friday Agreement Committee heard presentations from Carrickmacross, Newry, Derry, Bangor, Dún Laoghaoire Rathdown, Dundalk and Letterkenny Chambers of Commerce.
“All of these representatives told us that partition is negatively impacting on businesses in their area.
“Many chambers cited issues associated with cross border employment such as pension issues, driving licence and vehicle insurance, business insurance, working from home and employment of workers from across the European Union.
“All of them spoke of infrastructural deficits in transport and wastewater treatment provision which are preventing businesses from expanding and developing.
“These issues can only be comprehensively addressed by both the Irish and British Governments honouring their commitments as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.
“The Irish Government must work assertively with the British Government to resolve matters which impact businesses and workers.
“This includes the Irish Government advocating for vastly increased British Government spending in the north, which has endured decades of underinvestment.
“It also means, in addition to the excellent work undertaken by the Shared Island unit, that the Irish Government helps fund a stable and successful economic future in the north.
“On a small island such as ours, with an ever-increasing volume of cross border engagement, any investment in the north must be seen as an investment in the economy of the entire island.
“At today’s meeting Teachta Rose Conway-Walsh proposed that the committee write to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance to raise these matters.
“I also raised the mater in the Seanad this afternoon and I intend to pursue these matters further in the time ahead.”
