Cross-Border Co-operation
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-29
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Rose Conway-Walsh (SF), Mayo

I appreciate that the Tánaiste cannot give the details here tonight. I am raising this issue because I want it to be an absolute priority. Ten years on from the Brexit referendum, cross-Border workers are still dealing every day with uncertainty and complexity. In excess of 18,000 workers crossed the Border, along with €17 billion in trade, in 2025. We need to make it as seamless as possible for workers and employers.
A few months ago, we spoke in this Chamber about the fiscal implications of a united Ireland. Here we have the fiscal implications of partition on our island. People living on one side of the Border and working on the other can find themselves navigating two tax administrations alongside different rules on social protection, pensions and employment rights. Where somebody works from home for part of the week, questions can arise around tax liabilities and employer obligations. This creates uncertainty, not only for workers, but also for businesses that might otherwise recruit people from across the Border. We should be making it easier to live, work and employ people on an all-island basis, rather than allowing administrative barriers to discourage labour mobility.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-29