Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018
181. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time staff assigned to the dedicated Brexit unit in his Department by staff grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23026/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the UK referendum in June 2016, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine established a dedicated Brexit Co-ordination Unit within its EU & International Trade Division. This Unit now forms part of a new Brexit & International Trade Division. It comprises eight staff working full-time on the co-ordination of Brexit matters, reporting to a Head of Division who also has responsibility for wider international trade issues. The Head of Division, in turn, reports to an Assistant Secretary General who is deeply engaged in Brexit issues in addition to discharging other responsibilities.
The Brexit Unit co-ordinates the ongoing analysis, consultation and engagement activities being undertaken by a large number of administrative, technical and veterinary staff across the Department. It does so through an internal Brexit Response Committee comprised of the relevant experts drawn from the wide range of Divisions affected by Brexit (including, for example, Meat and Milk Policy, Animal Health and Welfare, Food Industry Development, Economics and Planning, and Seafood Policy and Development). It also feeds into the whole-of-Government co-ordination being undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In overall terms, my Department is continuing to monitor the future workforce needs of the organisation, and will be keeping resource allocations under close review as the negotiations proceed.
Staff assigned to the Brexit Unit:
|
Staff |
No. |
|
Assistant Secretary General |
1 (part) |
|
Principal Officer |
1 (part) |
|
Assistant Principal |
3 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
2 |
|
Administrative Officer |
1 |
|
Executive Officer |
1 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1 |
