Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2021
125. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the business sector on the island of Ireland continues to meet the challenges of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12468/21]
View answerOn 1 January this year the transition period provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement ended. For almost nine weeks now, the UK has been outside the EU Single Market and Customs Union and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) has applied to our trade and cooperation with the UK. The Government has been assisting businesses as they adapt to the new trading environment, including the new requirements concerning customs and SPS checks and controls. While some businesses have experienced specific issues, more than 80% of the trucks landing in our ports from the UK are now being ‘green routed’ to leave our ports directly having correctly completed the required customs formalities prior to arriving.
Government Departments, including my own, continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders, whether business representative groups, retailers and individual businesses or shipping companies, hauliers and logistics companies, to manage the issues arising from the new trading relationship with the UK. A range of Government supports, including training and grants, are in place to assist businesses in dealing with these changes. This includes the Ready for Customs Grant of up to €9,000 per eligible employee hired, or redeployed within the business, to a dedicated customs role. Further information on these and other supports is set out at Gov.ie/Brexit.
The Government is also monitoring a number of issues in relation to the implementation and outworking of the TCA, including its provisions in relation to fisheries and Rules of Origin, and will continue to provide guidance and assistance on these matters. Given the expected impact of Brexit on our fisheries sector, the Government has been engaging with EU partners, with the fisheries sector and coastal communities regarding possible mitigation measures.
A strong stakeholder engagement and communications programme continues to be a key element of our Brexit response, particularly in light of the new UK checks from 1 April. These engagements provide a valuable platform to engage with sectors impacted by the post transition trading environment. This includes regular meetings with the hauliers and ferry companies (D/Transport) and regular engagement at the Retail Forum (D/ETE), Enterprise Forum (D/ETE), Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee (D/AFM), Revenue’s Customs Consultative Committee and the Brexit Stakeholder Forum (D/FA), which I chair.
We and our EU partners also continue to engage with stakeholders on the island of Ireland, including in relation to the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland. The Protocol is designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, to protect vital all-island supply chains, and to ensure the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place in it. Commission Vice President, Maros Sefcovic, engaged with stakeholders North and South on the week of 15 February.
With the new UK checks coming into effect on certain EU imports from 1 April, the Government’s preparedness message is being recalibrated towards exporters, particularly those moving food and other agri-products. In addition to a nationwide advertising campaign across all platforms: print, radio and digital advertising, a number of webinars for exporters are taking place throughout February and March 2021 including joint webinars from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Revenue Commissioners and webinars together with their UK counterparts (DEFRA, HMRC). Sector-specific information and training are also being provided by Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices, Bord Bia and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. Further information on the steps they need to take and on the supports available are provided on Gov.ie/Brexit.
