Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
1285. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of extra employees to be hired in her Department between now and March 2019 to prepare for a hard Brexit; the specific roles these new employees will take up; the estimated cost of hiring these new employees; the impacts on her Department's expenditure ceilings for 2018 and 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34657/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn my Department, a dedicated Brexit Unit was established in 2016. This Unit is led at Assistant Secretary level within the EU Affairs and Trade Policy Division, to coordinate and represent the Departmental and Agencies response to Brexit and to support me in my position at the Cabinet Committee dealing with Brexit. The designated official, at Assistant Secretary level, is supported by a staff compliment of seven (one Principal Officer, three Assistant Principal Officers, two Higher Executive Officers and one Clerical Officer). The Unit also leads on engagement with a broad range of stakeholders to inform and validate our response to Brexit.
Given the wide mission my Department has, and the continuing impact on all policy matters, officers across all policy areas of my Department may deal with Brexit-related issues.
In this context, staff expertise has been drawn from across a number of different policy areas, and these staff have been assigned to a number of additional postings across the whole Department that have been most impacted by Brexit. We are continually prioritising the Brexit challenges and will actively keep the staffing requirements under review through workforce planning during 2018 and 2019.
