Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2020
147. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department and the Revenue Commissioners have taken to support businesses through Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38072/20]
View answerMy Department is participating in whole of Government preparations for the end of the transition period, including in the area of business supports. This includes the measures brought forward through Budget 2021, which is based on a no deal Brexit scenario. In particular, I’d like to highlight the Brexit Loan Scheme and Future Growth Loan Scheme offered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The SBCI also offers a Credit Guarantee Scheme to firms who may need it in order to secure a Comprehensive Guarantee for transit purposes. My Department is also collaborating with the Central Bank of Ireland and the NTMA to monitor and support readiness preparations in the financial services sector.
In addition, I am advised by Revenue that it has engaged extensively with businesses since 2018 to provide information and guidance on the impacts that Brexit could have and how to mitigate the risks. In September this year, Revenue wrote to approx. 90,000 businesses who traded with the UK during 2019 or in the first half of 2020. These are businesses who if they want to continue such trade, either by way of imports or exports or both, with the UK, excluding Northern Ireland, after 1 January, will need to take action to ensure their Brexit readiness. The letter included a Brexit readiness checklist and outlined a range of steps to be taken to get Brexit ready. As part of this intensified engagement, Revenue also targeted some 14,500 businesses (of the 90,000) for follow up telephone contact. The businesses contacted were identified as the most likely to be significantly impacted by Brexit.
Revenue live-streamed a two-day series of Brexit information sessions for business on 5 and 6 October 2020. These sessions provided important information on topics such as Customs, VAT, Excise and VRT, to help businesses to get ready for trading with or through Great Britain from 1 January 2021. Recordings of these sessions can be viewed on the Revenue website at www.revenue.ie/brexit.
Additionally, Revenue has participated in Brexit related events hosted by other Government Departments and in business and trade representative group events. The purpose of these events is to engage directly with traders, addressing their concerns, outlining the key steps they need to take to ensure that goods can move as efficiently as possible post-Brexit, and advising them of the requirements for simplified Customs procedures. I understand that Revenue is continuing its programme of stakeholder (trade and representative body) engagement including, in particular, engagement with IBEC, the haulage and logistics sector and ferry operators.
The Revenue website continues to be updated with specific information that outlines the obligations on businesses throughout the supply chain and offers them guidance on steps to take to meet the post-Brexit requirements.
As a result of Revenue’s engagement activity there has been a noticeable increase in registrations for a Customs Economic Operators Registration Identification (EORI) number. There were 32,000 EORI registrations in total since 2019. To assist businesses to register for an EORI number Revenue provided a helpful step by step guidance video for businesses on its website.
I am satisfied that Revenue and the Department have made very significant efforts to get businesses to engage with the challenge of Brexit. I strongly urge all businesses that will be impacted by Brexit to use the short time available between now and 1 January 2021 to put in place the necessary arrangements that will enable them to be able to undertake trade with and through the UK, excluding Northern Ireland, from that date.
