Joan Burton
Ceist:144. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department has recruited technical experts in legal and trade negotiations in respect of Brexit. [50328/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 13 December 2017
Ceisteanna (144)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department has not specifically recruited technical experts in legal and trade negotiations in respect of Brexit, but has drawn on the experts in these areas across the Department. These officials are best placed to deal with the Department’s response to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, and have been assigned to additional postings in the areas across the whole Department that have been most impacted by Brexit.
On the day that the referendum result was known a Co-ordination Group on Brexit was established in my Department, consisting of the CEOs of both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, and relevant enterprise, Single Market and trade officials from the Department to oversee implementation of our response to the emerging national, UK and EU developments. This Group, which I Chair, meets regularly and oversees the management of our response to the referendum result. It also facilitates regular engagement with the Agencies and Offices of the Department impacted by Brexit.
My Department has also established a Senior Officials Group on Brexit, chaired by the Secretary General, which supports the Management Board of the Department in ensuring a coherent and co-ordinated approach to Brexit across all areas of the Department.
To facilitate and encourage regular and comprehensive dialogue with enterprise, my Department also established an Enterprise Forum on Brexit and Global Challenges. Membership includes 13 representatives from enterprise groups and I Chair the Forum, with meetings held every 6-8 weeks. This Forum provides an opportunity for the Department to share emerging research and policy approaches with the enterprise sector and to receive feedback on proposals. It also gives enterprise a platform to share their research and feedback from companies with the Department and to raise issues of concern, to highlight opportunities, and to suggest policy responses.
In 2016, my Department established a dedicated Brexit Unit to deal with the challenges of Brexit. The Unit is led at Assistant Secretary level within the EU Affairs and Trade Policy Division, and is supported by one Principal, three Assistant Principals, two Higher Executive Officers and one Clerical Officer. This Unit leads on the coordination of the Department’s policy and operational responses to Brexit, including our approach to the negotiations within the EU and bilateral relations with the UK. The Brexit Unit oversees research and analysis being undertaken by the Department and its Agencies and monitors research published by external bodies to better inform our policy response. The Unit also leads on engagement with a broad range of stakeholders to inform and validate our response to Brexit.