Access to the Single Market

The Single Market is the cornerstone of the European Union. For over 30 years, it has made everyday life easier for Irish people and businesses, fuelling jobs and growth across the EU.

The Single Market protects consumers by ensuring common, high standards for products and services. It provides opportunities for businesses in Ireland to sell into a market of over 450 million people. For students and workers, it provides them with the right to live and work in any EU Member State. 

To the Irish economy, our membership of the Single Market is worth in excess of €30 billion. On a per capita basis, only Luxembourg does better than Ireland in terms of benefiting from the Single Market.

CAP for Farmers and Rural Communities

The Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, accounts for over 30% of the EU’s entire budget showing how important agricultural and food security is to the Union.

The CAP provides direct payments to farmers to allow them expand their businesses and to modernise their farms to support their important work.

It also ensures the highest possible standards when it comes to food production and security while supporting enhanced sustainability in our food production systems. 

Rights & Freedoms

Since Ireland joined the EU in 1973, the European Union has led the way in protecting and vindicating the rights of citizens. From rights for workers, to rights for women and our LGBTQI+ communities, to enshrining protections for people with disabilities, the European Union defends us all.

It also stands up for rights on a global stage. The EU is one of the world’s largest financial donors in terms of international development and humanitarian responses in the event of disasters.

B.A.R. for Fishers and Businesses

Following Brexit, and the economic damage it caused in certain EU Member States, a new fund, the Brexit Adjustment Reserve was created to limit the impact. Ireland is the single largest recipient from this fund, and we are using it support sectors especially hard hit.

A decommissioning scheme was established to support fishers who voluntarily wanted to leave the sector, and funds were made available to ports and harbour-based enterprises to support them as they unwind from their strong links with the UK.

Jobs and Prosperity

Our EU Membership makes Ireland a very enticing place to do business. Large multinational companies have made Ireland their home over the last 50 years. In particular, the tech and pharmaceutical industries value Ireland’s EU membership, our competitive and transparent tax system and our highly educated workforce.

Nine of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies and 16 of the top 20 global tech companies and the top 3 enterprise software providers are located in Ireland. Between them they employ over 160,000 people directly and many more indirectly.

RePowerEU

The EU and Ireland are going through an energy transformation. We are reducing our dependence on imported Russian gas and oil to ensure that we never are held to ransom ever again.

This means shifting more to renewable sources of electricity production such as offshore wind, solar and bio-methane. We also need to diversify our gas important and make better use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The Irish Government must reconsider an LNG facility to allow our country import this energy source.