Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
213. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline any difficulties her Department has encountered in progressing the Dublin/Belfast Economic Corridor since Brexit. [45449/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDespite the challenges introduced by Brexit, the all-island economy has shown resilience and has continued to grow with cross-border trade in goods more than doubling since 2020. In 2001, annual cross-border trade in goods was valued at €3.1 billion, and by 2025 it had grown to €10.9 billion. This trade is evenly balanced, with roughly the same level of goods moving from north to south and south to north. Recent figures for cross-border trade in both goods and services show that it was worth over €17.2 billion, supporting jobs and businesses across the island including in the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor.
The growth of the all-island economy is supported by the Windsor Framework, which protects the gains of the Good Friday Agreement, and provide certainty and clarity for the people and businesses across the island of Ireland. The safeguards and facilitations contained within the Windsor Framework ensure that Northern Ireland, while remaining part of the United Kingdom’s internal market, also retains access to the EU’s single market for goods. Crucially, this avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland and protects the all-island economy, including along the Dublin/Belfast economic corridor.
The revised National Planning Framework recognises that this corridor, which links the two largest cities on the island of Ireland, is a key economic region that provides a strategic gateway for cross-border trade which plays a critical role in supporting economic growth and competitiveness. National Policy Objective 57 relates to supporting and developing the economic potential of the Dublin- Belfast Corridor. Specific projects to support the development of this corridor include the building the landmark Narrow Water Bridge to link the Mourne Mountains and Cooley peninsula, and development of the cross-border Enterprise rail service on the island of Ireland.
