Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
385. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of calls that have been made to his Department’s Brexit helpline for Irish citizens living overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1099/21]
View answer386. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of calls that have been made to his Department’s Brexit helpline from Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1100/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together.
The key aim of the Government's Brexit readiness work was to support business and citizens prepare for the permanent and immediate changes that arose as a result of the UK leaving the EU. As part of this work and, in order to respond to queries arising in the immediate Day 1/Week 1 period following the end of the transition period, a range of Government Departments and Agencies put in place designated information resources, call centres and advice lines from 1 January.
From 1 to 4 January, my Department made available a Brexit-related advice line for Irish citizens overseas as well as for callers from Northern Ireland. The line was managed by officials working on Brexit related issues over that period and handled a total of four queries, none originating from callers in Northern Ireland. The Department continues to receive a low level of Brexit related queries which are answered through our normal channels.
