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The European Union Affairs Committee has heard that Irish exports to Britain could fall by 3.6% if the UK were to leave the EU as a result of a planned referendum on union membership.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he wants a referendum on the issue in 2017.

Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs Daithi O'Ceallaigh said the possibility of Britain renegotiating its membership of the EU in advance of a referendum would also impact trade between Ireland and the UK, but less significantly than a British exit.

Mr O'Ceallaigh said there was a lot of uncertainty around what Britain wanted.

The Joint Committee on European Union Affairs is discussing the United Kingdom's possible exit from the European Union.

The committee also heard that Ireland's agri-food business could be hit by any decision by Britain to leave the EU. Britian takes over 50% of our Irish agri-food exports and likewise Ireland takes over half of Britain's agri-food exports.

The Committee also heard form Steven Aiken, former Chief Executive of the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce, who said it was his personal opinion that there would be a British referendum on EU membership regardless of the outcome of the UK election.

He said he believed the trade relationship between Britain and Ireland was already changing and that Ireland would have to compete with Northern Ireland and Scotland to a greater extent.

As Britain looks to strengthen its competitivness he said it was his opinion that Ireland was not a signicant part of the equation.

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Fears of Irish export collapse if UK leaves EU