The International Policy Division within my Department has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the Department's work as it relates to matters concerning the UK's withdrawal from the EU (Brexit). 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, currently consisting of eleven officers and three vacant posts which are due to be filled in the coming weeks. This figure included two additional posts at Assistant Principal level which were allocated during 2017 to support the Division during the negotiation process.
Complementing the International Policy Division, six senior officers from each of the key areas in the Department (who are in turn supported by relevant staff) were selected to make up a cross Divisional working group to focus on the key negotiating issues.
The number of staff assigned to work on Brexit related matters is being kept under review and regular progress updates are provided to the Department's Management Board on the analysis and preparations under way. Costs incurred are being met from the Department's overall budget, and those related specifically to Brexit cannot be readily extracted from overall ongoing work in the Department.
