Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
111. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the threats identified by her Department for importers in the context of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33299/17]
View answerIn advance of the Referendum my Department conducted a contingency risk assessment of the potential impacts of Brexit across policy areas of my Department. We have refined our analysis post-Referendum and we have been working with Agencies to put in place actions to mitigate risks and maximize opportunities.
More specifically, we have a number of streams of work underway which will address the threats to importers.
My Department has funded a research project commissioned by InterTrade Ireland to improve our understanding of the impact on cross-Border trade of different trade and tariff regimes which might be imposed following Brexit. This research provides useful data on the extent and concentration of cross border trade, including information on this trade by product and firm types and barriers to trade. A report based on this research was recently published while further, more detailed research on cross-Border trade continues.
My Department is also currently undertaking research to examine the implications for the most exposed enterprise sectors - in terms of trading and economic relationships - of a range of scenarios including that of the UK being outside of the European Single Market and Customs Union. This research will inform an assessment of the way in which Brexit will affect individual sectors of the economy. The wholesale and retails sector is the largest private sector employer in Ireland and is very exposed to the impact of Brexit, particularly in terms of imports. Reflecting this, the retail sector is one of the sectors included in this study.
As part of another major study, my Department is profiling the composition of trade and investment for Ireland and a range of EU Member States with the UK - this will provide an evidence base to inform Ireland's policy positions as part of the wider negotiation on the UK's future relationship with the EU. The impact on imports will be considered as part of this exercise.
As I mentioned, the retail sector is particularly impacted by Brexit – especially as a result of the large proportion of imports sourced through and from the UK. My Department convenes quarterly meetings of the Retail Consultation Forum to hear the sector's concerns and to work together on finding practical solutions to the key issues faced by the sector. Brexit has been placed as a standing item on the agenda of the Retail Forum. A range of retail representative bodies have been included in stakeholder engagements organised by my Brexit unit, and are included in the membership of the Department’s Enterprise Forum on Brexit and Global Challenges.
