The Taoiseach's visit to Belfast today for talks with the main political parties in Northern Ireland is one of huge importance. That's according to Cavan Monaghan Fianna Fail TD, Deputy Brendan Smith, who says a breakthrough must be made between the Stormont parties, otherwise the Assembly will be dissolved at the end of the month.
He added that because the DUP blocked the nomination of a speaker, Northern Ireland "does not have its house in order". The local TD pointed to the fact that Micheal Martin is there today to establish if there is a way around all of that.
Deputy Smith added that the current instability of the UK Government is also "concerning" particularly for exporters from Cavan and Monaghan. "With the weakness of the pound at the minute, every product that we sell into the British market is that much dearer than it was a week or two weeks ago. That hits at the competitive nature of trade.
"We know that many of our companies entered into contracts and the prices were set some time ago on the basis there would be stability in currency. And, that is not happening at the minute," he said.
