Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
133. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expected expenditure needed for the Brexit section of his Department in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34535/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraBrexit has understandably been prioritised across the entire range of work of my Department. In addition to approximately twenty officers working solely on Brexit in Dublin, in our Embassy in London and in our Permanent Representation in Brussels, a much larger number in Dublin and in our missions abroad spend a very considerable proportion of their time on Brexit-related issues.
During 2018, additional staff have been assigned to the key Divisions with responsibility for Brexit matters, namely the European Union Division and the Ireland, UK and Americas Division.
Overseas, additional posts have been created in our Embassies in London, Berlin, and Paris as well as in the Permanent Representation to the European Union. Brexit is of course a core priority of all our Missions within the European Union.
Other business units across the Department including Legal Division and Trade Division have also assumed Brexit-related functions.
There has been a marked increase also in demand for passports and citizenship via foreign birth registration from applicants in Northern Ireland and in Britain and this has had, and will continue to have, an impact on the Passport Service and on Consular Division.
It is not therefore possible in the time available to offer an estimate of total Brexit-related staff costs across the Department.
