Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
1586. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself that previously entered into arrangements affecting the development of the bloodstock industry between Ireland, the UK and France will continue to operate in the aftermath of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28429/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs has been the case across the entire agri-food sector, my Department has been in regular contact with Irish equine industry stakeholders in order to fully understand the potential implications of Brexit for that industry.
The sector is represented on the Department's Stakeholder Consultative Committee, which met most recently on 11 April, and it was also the focus of the most recent of the five sectoral dialogues that I have hosted under the All-Island Civic Dialogue process, which took place in Portlaoise last week. This latter event provided myself and my Department with a particularly valuable further opportunity to tease out the issues facing the sector in some detail, and to consider possible responses. It was made all the more worthwhile by the strong attendance of representatives from Northern Ireland, given the highly integrated nature of the industry on the island.
These contacts have given the industry the opportunity to flag its concerns in relation to Brexit, including in relation to the operation of the Tripartite Agreement, which facilitates the free movement of horses between Ireland, the UK and France. Indeed, this was an issue which featured very prominently at last week's Dialogue, and will be given careful consideration by myself and my Department over the coming period.
I would also point out that, in April this year, Department officials hosted the annual meeting of the Tripartite member countries and industry stakeholders, which provided the opportunity to discuss this issue with the UK and France. The matter has also been raised in the context of my Department's ongoing contacts with its counterpart in Northern Ireland, with the clear objective of retaining the arrangement in any post Brexit trade configuration.
