Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 June 2016
60. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Taoiseach her plans to protect Irish jobs in the event of the United Kingdom voting to exit the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16108/16]
View answer61. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach if he and the bodies under his aegis promote Ireland as an attractive location for foreign direct investment, with particular reference to the situation in the event of Britain exiting the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16308/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together.
Our Government’s position on the EU-UK question is clear: We want the UK, as our closest neighbour and trading partner and EU ally, to remain a member of a reformed EU.
Our relationship with the UK is closer than with any other Member State. We believe Ireland has a unique perspective and interest in the outcome of the referendum: as a neighbour sharing a land border; as a partner with the UK in transforming British-Irish relations in recent years; and as a facilitator and co-guarantor, with the UK, of successive agreements aimed at securing peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.
However, Ireland will have a clear plan in place to deal with the implications of a UK vote to Leave.
A unit in the Department of the Taoiseach, established in April 2015, has been coordinating work on this issue and is in the process of fine tuning cross-Departmental inputs on contingency management and key communication issues with senior Departmental representatives.
Government Departments have scoped the range of risks and opportunities that would fall to be addressed in the two year period following a Leave vote. This analysis will continue to be deepened in advance of the referendum.
A framework has been developed on a whole of government basis to identify contingencies that may arise in the days, weeks and months that follow.
This will be the framework within which each Minister, Department and agency will manage the policy, operational and programmatic implications that could arise from a UK leave vote. It will be capable of adapting to changing circumstances, depending on developments in the context of ongoing negotiations on new arrangements between the EU and the UK and bilateral discussions between the UK and Irish Governments.
The plan will clearly identify the Government's priorities and set out a detailed plan of action for communications and diplomatic contact. It will also take account of how the EU landscape might change in the event of a UK departure and the consequent loss of a key ally with which we share so many priorities including in relation to jobs, growth and investment. It will consider the possible re-balancing of relationships and priorities within the EU in this context.
Work in this area is being progressed by all Departments in conjunction with key agencies and will cover all areas of Government business. Dialogue with wider stakeholders including business groups, trade unions and NGOs across all relevant sectors will continue. Official and diplomatic contact with the UK, other EU Member States and the EU Institutions will be intensified in the event of a leave vote.
The key priority for Government will be to protect and promote Ireland’s key interests in the event that the UK votes to leave, including in relation to jobs and Foreign Direct Investment.
Some have suggested that a UK exit could give Ireland a marketing advantage in terms of Foreign Direct Investment. We compete strongly all the time for global FDI and will continue to do so whether or not the UK is in the EU.
