Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2016
468. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has created a special unit in her Department to specifically deal with Brexit; if so, the number of staff that are full-time tasked with the objective; the annual budget; and the specific responsibility of each person. [32847/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the context of my Department, given the breath and diversity of policy and operational areas that are relevant to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, this is a matter that impacts on, and is being monitored by, all of the Divisions across my Department.
Immediately following the UK referendum result, I established a Coordination Group within my Department consisting of relevant enterprise, single market, and trade officials, together with the Chief Executive Officers of IDA and Enterprise Ireland. I chair this Group, and I will continue to do so as part of my Department’s ongoing response. In addition, my Department has also decided to establish a Senior Officials Group on Brexit, which will monitor developments across the Department on a regular basis at official level.
The EU Affairs Unit of my Department has exercised a dedicated overall coordination role across all of the relevant policy areas, and has represented my Department in the work that is being undertaken at cross-Government level. In light of the volume of work to date, my Department has since decided to augment these existing arrangements with the establishment of a Brexit Unit, led at Principal level, to work alongside our existing EU Affairs Unit as well as all other Business Units dealing with Brexit-impacted areas of our business.
The Management Board of my Department also co-ordinates my Departments’ own response across all its Divisions to the referendum outcome.
