Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2016
82. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff dedicated to managing Ireland's response to the decision of the United Kingdom to exit the European Union; the structure of this team; how it will work with teams in other Departments; who has overall responsibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20306/16]
View answerThe result of the recent referendum in the United Kingdom marks the beginning of a new phase which will include a negotiated withdrawal from the EU by the UK that is expected to take place over two years once article 50 is invoked. As the Deputy will be aware, no decision has been taken yet at EU level as to how the negotiations will be structured. The modalities of these negotiations will affect the resources to be assigned to the process and this will be decided in due course.
Work has already been undertaken in my Department in order to manage the Department’s response to the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union at strategic and operational levels. Early in 2016 an initial risk analysis of the UK's potential departure was carried out by my Department and a number of issues identified.
The implications of the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union has been placed on the agenda of the Department’s Management Board as a standing item to be considered each week. The Department’s International Policy Division has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the Department’s work as it relates to the EU-UK matters. The Division is headed-up by an Assistant Secretary and comprises a team in Dublin and a team based in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels consisting of 11 Officers. In addition six senior officers from each of the key areas in the Department (who are in turn supported by relevant staff) have been selected to make up a cross Divisional working group to focus on the key negotiating issues. There are over 700 instruments relating to Title V measures on the EU legislative database. The working group has narrowed this down to approximately 200 measures that will require further examination and this work is now underway.
The work within the Department on this issue is coordinated with other Departments through the Department of the Taoiseach.
