Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2017
956. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a study prepared for the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the potential impact of Brexit on the agriculture industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46842/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra957. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to raise with the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers the concerns outlined in the report prepared for the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the likely impact of Brexit on the agriculture industry with particular reference to border controls here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46843/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 956 and 957 together.
The report referred to is a very useful contribution to the range of research and analysis that has been carried out on the potential implications of Brexit for the agri-food and fisheries sectors. The detailed findings of the report will be assessed, but the key findings confirm what we already know, which is that Ireland will be the most severely affected of the EU27 Member States by the impact of Brexit, and that the agri-food sector is the most exposed sector of the economy because of its particular reliance on the UK market and the highly integrated nature of Ireland-UK agri-food trade.
We are fully aware of this, and have been responding accordingly. Budget 2017 and Budget 2018 contained immediate and practical measures such as new low-cost loan schemes and increased funding to Bord Bia to help the agrifood and fisheries sectors in particular to deal with the immediate impacts of Brexit.
Our approach to the negotiations on the future relationship will be to ensure that the future EU-UK trading relationship will be as close to the current arrangements as possible.
I am continuing to engage, both informally and bilaterally, with my counterparts in the other Member States. At the Agri-Fish Council meeting in Luxembourg last month, I raised the issue of the impact of Brexit on Ireland’s agri-food and fisheries sectors to ensure it remains at the forefront as the negotiations evolve.
