Irish exporters need to urgently upscale their no-deal Brexit contingency measures, according to the Irish Exporters Association.

The IEA warned this week that the political rhetoric in the UK leadership race is making a disorderly Brexit on October 31 more likely.

“We are concerned that, three months after the original Brexit deadline, very few companies in the Irish trading community are fully prepared for all outcomes,” said Simon McKeever (pictured), chief executive of the IEA.

“The fact that around 50,000 Irish businesses, mainly SMEs, still have not applied for their EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) number highlights that there continues to be [a] deep gap in the number of businesses taking the minimum preparatory actions [for] Brexit.

“A UK departure from the EU on WTO terms would have a very detrimental impact on the Irish economy and Irish businesses’ global competitiveness.”

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The IEA is calling on businesses to urgently and fully re-evaluate their supply chains to ensure they can mitigate the impacts of any Brexit outcome.

“While there remains continued uncertainty about the final terms of the UK’s departure, a potential no-deal exit on WTO terms provides at least some certainty: we clearly know what to prepare for,” McKeever added.