Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 April 2019
260. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has applied to the EU for the available financial assistance for training officials in performing sanitary and phytosanitary controls as indicated in an EU communication (details supplied); and if preparations are in place for a no-deal Brexit in view of the completion of preparations by the EU for a possible no-deal scenario on 12 April 2019. [15783/19]
View answerI have not, as yet, applied to the EU for the financial assistance for training officials in performing sanitary and phytosanitary controls as indicated in the EU Preparedness communication referred to by the Deputy.
This is because, in terms of the training of Department officials to carry out sanitary and phytosanitary controls at our ports and airports, officials in my Department have been availing of appropriate import control training on an ongoing basis since 2007 by participating in EU-led training initiatives such as the “Better Training for Safer Food” European Commission Training Initiative. This is EU-funded training and it is specifically targeted to training of Government officials carrying out all EU official controls in the food safety and animal health and plant health areas. It has direct applicability in terms of addressing Brexit contingencies. Consequently a significant cohort of staff in my Department is adequately qualified to carry out import SPS controls.
On preparedness, my Department, as part of the whole of Government approach, have been very active in this regard. Regarding import controls, we have been working with other departments and agencies to have the necessary arrangements in place at our ports and airports in order to allow the Department to fulfil its legal obligations as efficiently as possible, while also ensuring the minimum possible disruption to trading arrangements.
