Tha Murray MacLeòid ag ràdh gu bheil Brexit ri choireachadh son gu leòr a throimh-chèile

‘S mi a tha taingeil nach tàinig an smuain a-steach orm teicheadh a-nall thall-thairis ach am faighinn air cùlaibh a chur ri pàrtaidhean mòra na Bànrigh.

Fhuair Boris air Brexit a dheànamh, ach am b’fhiach e? (Dealbh: Ben Stansall/pool/AFP via Getty Images)

[English-language version below]

Bha mi gu gomadaich a’ smaoineachadh air na tha sin de flagaichean is de theatha, ach an dèidh sin, ‘b e as fheàrr na bhith na do stob uairean a thìde aig port-adhair, mar a tha gu leòr an dràsta.

Tha an troimh-chèile timcheall siubhail ri linn ‘s nach eil luchd-obrach gu leòr aca airson nam bagaichean a làimhseachadh – a-rèir nan companaidhean siubhail co-dhiù – ach tha e cuideachd mu dheidhinn cuspair mòr eile…. Brexit na mollachd.

Tha fhios gur e gnothach a tha ann dha na companaidhean a bhith a’ dèiligeadh le gainnead luchd-obrach, ach ‘s cinnteach gun robh còir aca tuigsinn gum biodh an t-uabhas a’ siubhal an-dràsta agus as t-samhradh ri thighinn ‘s cùisean, an ìre mhath, air ais chun na h-àbhaist.

A thuilleadh air duilgheadas nam bagaichean, tha na bacaidhean a bharrachd a tha a’ tighinn le ceadan-siubhail air cur ris.

Agus an cois sin, tha trioblaid eile. Chan eil e math gu leòr tuilleadh dìreach an cead-siubhail a bhith taobh a-staigh a’ cheann-là air a bheil còir aige ruith a-mach. Tha diofar riaghailtean aig diofar dhùthchannan a thaobh dè cho faisg ‘s a dh’fhaodas e a bhith air a' cheann-là mus tig do dhiùltadh.

Chunnaic mi fhèin cho cudromach ‘s a tha seo. Bliadhnaichean air ais, bha mi a’ siubhal dhan Spàinn agus ged a bha mo chead-siubhail air a’ bhliadhna, cha do mhothaich mi gun robh e dìreach air ruith a-mach. Gu fòrtanach, cha robh sin gu diofar aig an àm, bhon a bha an uimhir de shùbailteachd ann.

Ach, chan eil sin idir ann a-nis agus a h-uile càil a’ cur ris an obair a tha aig daoine ri dhèanamh mus fhaigh iad air siubhal agus e cuideachd ag adhbhrachadh thrioblaidean aig oifisean nan cead-siubhail, a tha ann an staing iad fhèin.

Agus air falbh bho othail nam port-adhair, chan eil cùisean mòran nas fheàrr.

Thairis sgìrean dùthchail na h-Alba, tha duilgheadasan aig companaidhean ann an roinn an turasachd luchd-obrach gu leòr fhaighinn agus tha sin gu mòr ceangailte ri Brexit.

Chan eil gu leòr a dhaoine ann airson nan taighean-òsta agus na h-àitichichean-bidhe a chumail aig an ìre a lùigeadh iad agus ann an suidheachadh dùthchail, leis cho cudromach ‘s a tha iad, tha sin ann an cunnart èiginn eaconomaigeach adhbhrachadh – gu h-àraid às dèidh an dà bhliadhna dhuilich a dh’fhalbh.

B’ àbhaist dha mòran dhe na h-obraichean sin a bhith air an lìonadh le òigridh èasgaidh bho taobh an ear na h-Eòrpa, ach tha an cothrom sin a-nis air a chasg dhaibh agus air a chasg dha na companaidhean a tha airson obair a thoirt dhaibh.

Tha an aon suidheachadh agad le gainnead luchd-obrach aig tòrr dhe na tuathan a bhios ag àrach lusan agus iadsan cuideachd ann an staing.

Chaidh a h-uile càil a tha seo a thogail ron a seo, a-measg nan iomadach adhbhar an aghaidh Brexit… gum biodh cus cùisean duilich practaigich na chois agus gum biodh an suidheachadh ann an Eirinn a Tuath gu sònraichte duilich is cunnartach.

Ach, chaidh innse dhuinn gun dragh a ghabhail, nach biodh ann an sin ach rudan air am faigheadh seachad gu furasta agus gum tigeadh buannachdan eaconamaigeach is saorsa na chois air nach biodh crìoch. Càil a dh’fhios aig duine dè idir a thachair le sin?

English-language version

Just as well I resisted the temptation to head for foreign climes to escape the Jubilee jamboree out-pouring of sentimentality.

Much as the thought of endless bunting and plastic Union Jack hats makes the stomach turn, the prospect of airport gridlock and arguments with staff appeals even less.

Ostensibly, the current chaos at our airports is about the lack of baggage handling staff – according to the airlines at least – but, much as some certain people might like to pretend otherwise, it does also highlight difficulties surrounding that old elephant in the room… Brexit.

The lack of staffing is clearly an issue for the companies to deal with and surely they should have foreseen the extra burden that would come with the relaxation of restrictions in the summer months.

However, the extra delays at airports for added security checks on passports – a direct result of Brexit – has been a significant contributory factor.

Being no longer part of the EU has also brought another related problem for travellers. It is no longer sufficient to just have your passport within the expiry date.

Depending on the country, there are different rules surrounding passport requirements – which has also made travel preparations more complex and created uncertainty for those caught out.

And away from the hullabaloo of summer travel with hundreds, if not thousands, trapped at airports, things are not much better.

Right across rural Scotland, the hospitality industry is facing a recruitment crisis that’s absolutely all about Brexit.

Hotels and restaurants simply can’t find the staff to allow them to operate at optimal levels and, given the importance of the sector to many rural communities, it’s a looming economic crisis, particularly so having just come out of the last two years.

Many of these jobs would have previously been filled by young and eager eastern Europeans, but that opportunity is now denied to them and denied to the companies that would happily employ them, as unfettered travel from the EU to the UK is no longer possible. A similar situation affects arable and fruit farms.

All of this was forewarned, that Brexit would come with all sorts of practical day-to-day issues, that the Northern Ireland trade issue would become especially problematic and even dangerous. But we were told it was all a sacrifice worth paying for all the benefits and freedoms that would flow. Anyone any idea how that’s going?