Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2018
183. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of each Brexit measure committed to in his Department following budget 2019, in tabular form; and the financial allocation for each such measure. [42602/18]
View answer184. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff to be recruited under the allocation in 2019 following budget 2019’s confirmation that €7 million is to be allocated for staff and IT costs arising from additional import control and export certification requirements arising from Brexit; his plans for advertising such positions; the timelines for recruitment; when the first staff hires will take up positions in 2019; the 2019 financial allocations; and the number estimated to be hired for sanitary and phytosanitary staff and veterinary staff. [42603/18]
View answer185. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated in budget 2019 to facilitate potential increased sanitary and phytosanitary controls including staffing and upgrading infrastructure at Dublin and Rosslare ports specifically in addition to other Irish airports and ports in the event of the UK becoming a third country with the EU. [42604/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together.
In line with the Government Decisions of 18 July and 18 September, my Department has been working closely with other Departments on Brexit preparedness on the central case scenario, i.e. no hard border on the Island of Ireland, a transition period to the end of 2020 and EU-UK Free Trade Agreement from 1 January 2021. The primary focus has been on the staffing, infrastructural and IT requirements that will arise in the context of the implementation of greatly increased Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls at ports and airports on an East-West basis.
Depending on the shape of the final deal these requirements are likely to be significant, and will arise in respect of the import of live animals, plants, and products of animal and plant origin from the UK into Ireland and the EU once the UK has become a third country. There are also likely to be significant export certification requirements in relation to the export of such products to the UK, although this is a matter for the UK authorities.
Accordingly, I have made provision in my Department’s estimate for 2019 for the commencement of a phased process of recruitment of additional staff to carry out the greatly increased volumes of import controls and export certification arising from Brexit. An amount of €4 million has been set aside for this purpose, with a further initial provision in 2019 of just over €3 million to address ICT hardware and software requirements. Further expenditure is planned in these areas in 2020 and 2021, with full-year staffing costs from 2021 estimated to be of the order of €28 million.
This phased recruitment involves the recruitment of up to 116 staff for SPS and fisheries controls in 2019, as agreed by Government on 18 September. The necessary arrangements to commence this recruitment process are currently being put in place. New positions will be advertised through the Public Appointments Service.
The Department is also feeding intensively into the wider ongoing process around the infrastructural requirements at ports and airports, and will continue to liaise closely with the Office of Public Works, in particular, in this regard.
I announced the following Brexit measures in Budget 2019 :
|
Amount |
Support to |
|
€44 million |
Direct aid to farmers through additional spending of €23 million on the Areas of Natural Constraint scheme, the introduction of a €20 million Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot Scheme and additional funding of €1 million for the horticulture sector. |
|
€27 million |
Brexit-related supports for the food industry, comprising €13 million in supports for competitiveness and innovation, an additional €5 million in funding for Bord Bia, €6 million to progress the National Food Innovation Hub in Teagasc Moorepark, and €3 million for artisan and micro food and beverage programmes. |
|
€7 million |
To support Brexit preparedness work within my Department, namely, to meet the staffing and IT costs associated with the additional import control and export certification requirements arising from Brexit. |
