Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
104. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she is satisfied that Brexit will not affect pension entitlements to staff of Waterways Ireland; and the actions she has taken to mitigate against the negative potential impacts of Brexit on her Department. [39840/18]
View answerMy Department co-sponsors two of the six North-South Implementation Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement, Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga/the Language Body.
I am advised that, as the North-South Implementation Bodies were established under an Agreement reached between the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom which was not dependent on European Community membership, there are unlikely to be implications directly stemming from Brexit for occupational pension entitlements for existing pensioners or future retirees. The implications for State Pension entitlements are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Detailed contingency planning is being carried out, involving all Government Departments for all possible scenarios and outcomes to the Brexit negotiations, coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. My Department continues to gather information on the implications and potential responses to the relevant issues with regard to a disorderly Brexit scenario from each area and participates in inter-Departmental preparations for Brexit through the IGEUB, the Island of Ireland Group, High Level Communications Group on Brexit Preparedness and Contingency Planning and the Brexit Co-ordinators Group.
A Working Group, chaired at Assistant Secretary level and composed of officials from across the Department has also been established to deal with Brexit issues. This Working Group is supported by the Department's Corporate Governance and Coordination Unit which is also responsible for coordinating the response to Brexit related issues within the remit of my Department.
