Fianna Fáil tackle thorny Brexit implications
IT was little surprise that the devaluation of Sterling came as one of the most pressing concerns at a public meeting on the impact of Brexit held as it was in the tourist mecca of Killarney on Thursday.
The Fianna Fáil-organised meeting, attended by up to 100 tourism, farming and business interests at The Brehon Hotel, heard from the party’s spokeserson on finance, Michael McGrath as well as Kerry FF TD John Brassil - who organised the event - and teacher Elaine Dold.
“One of the overriding concerns voiced at the meeting was the already-negative impact of the continuing devaluation of sterling,” Deputy Brassil told The Kerryman.
“It’s being felt keenly in the county at present in the fall-off in UK visitors as the Eurozone gets too expensive. While we would probably absord that at the present level it could become a serious threat if the trend gets more entrenched post Brexit, especially in a county like ours so dependant on the UK market.”
Deputy McGrath also outlined the challenge facing the country in negotiations on Brexit, a deal that requires just 20 of the 27 member states to ratify it. “Another big thing that came across from people is that, while we might have rolled over for the EU on the banking crisis, there can be no rolling over on Brexit as we have to protect our interests whatever the negotiations might produce.”