It is still Government’s view that a ‘no deal’ outcome remains unlikely but we are planning for all scenarios. Ireland’s contingency and preparedness planning is well advanced. Government has launched a new Getting Ireland Ready public awareness campaign, with information on the Government’s latest preparedness and support measures. Outreach events have already taken place this month in Cork, Galway and Monaghan, with a further event to follow in Dublin (25 October).
I am hopeful that progress can be made in the short-term on both the Ireland-Northern Ireland back-stop and on the framework for the discussions on the future EU-UK relationship, so that they can be incorporated into a Withdrawal Agreement that will provide for a transition period.
Some mitigation measures are already in place while future potential measures have been identified. The implementation of these measures will depend on the outcome of the negotiations.
The Government has introduced a range of measures to deal with the short-term impacts of Brexit. In terms of dealing with Competitiveness issues, my Department introduced a €150 million low-cost loan scheme and increased funding under the Rural Development and Seafood Development Programmes in the 2017 Budget. In Budget 2018, I, along with my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, introduced a new €300m “Brexit Loan Scheme” to provide affordable, flexible financing to Irish businesses that are either currently impacted by Brexit or who will be in the future - at least 40% of which will be available to seafood businesses.
I have followed up these measures with further initiatives as part of Budget 2019, which contains a €78 million Brexit package for farmers, fishermen, food SMEs and to cover additional costs in my Department. €7 million has also been provided 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.
In line with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-coordinated ‘whole of Government’ approach to Brexit, my Department is planning for an orderly Brexit which involves, inter alia, a transition period. It is very welcome that the European Council has proposed that the whole of the EU acquis - including the Common Fisheries Policy - will apply to the UK during the transition.
Our enterprise agencies are continuing to work with seafood companies to help them to deal with Brexit through making them more competitive, diversifying market exposure, and up-skilling teams.
In recent months, I have continued to have positive, regular meetings with my European colleagues, especially those from the group of 8 Coastal Member States whose fisheries are potentially most impacted by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. I am also working closely with key stakeholders in the Irish fishing industry and am pleased at the level of unity on these key issues. The results of my engagement with the Barnier Task Force, in close collaboration with the Tánaiste are evident in the agreed EU position on fisheries.
My priority has been, and remains, to maintain existing levels of access to waters and resources. However, in a worst case scenario of a disorderly departure in March 2019 those reciprocal arrangements could be endangered. Such issues could not of course be dealt with in isolation from the overall scenario of a disorderly Brexit and any measures taken would have to be carefully considered by ourselves in partnership with relevant Member States, the Task Force and stakeholders.
The actual agreement on a future relationship can only be finalised and concluded once the UK has become a third country, that is, after it leaves the EU on 29 March 2019. This is why a status quo transitional arrangement is so important.
