Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
136. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of extra employees to be hired in his 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 his Department's expenditure ceilings for 2018 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34665/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraManaging the response to Brexit has impacted on the work of many staff at headquarters in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and a significant number of those overseas.
Since the reversion of EU co-ordination responsibilities to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in autumn 2016, 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 (IUKA) Division.
Additional posts have been created at our Embassies in London, Berlin, and Paris and the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels.
In the period between now and March 2019 the European Union Division will be further strengthened, with a particular focus on Brexit preparedness. This will be effected through a transfer within the Department.
The Department will allocate additional staff resources as deemed necessary to further augment our Brexit-related capacity in Ireland and across our diplomatic mission network.
