A fifth of jobs in Donegal and Leitrim are at risk in the case of a hard border post Brexit.
That’s according to IBEC which has issued figures concluding that the expected fall in Irish food and beverage exports will impact farmers most.
IBEC’s model suggests that there will be a €2.1bn drop in food and drinks exports post Brexit.
That is expected to translate into a drop of over €415m in demand for farm output.
It would mean one in five jobs will be lost in counties like Donegal and Leitrim with Sligo also facing a big impact.
Thomas Hubert of the Irish Farmers Journal says the impact on jobs in rural areas will be worst:
