Brexit Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Ceisteanna (2003)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

2003. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans in place for the hiring of increased staff in the sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, area and veterinary inspections at ports, airports and Border-crossing points here in the event of a hard Brexit and the UK becoming a third country within the EU; the date on which since June 2016 such plans were agreed and finalised; if estimates for additional SPS checks and the number of new veterinary inspector hires have been costed; and if so, if the data for same will be provided in tabular form. [35349/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department has been involved in preparations for Brexit for some time now and has fed its views into the whole of Government process.  In line with the Government decision last week, my Department is contributing to the preparation of a detailed, fully costed action plan, to facilitate potentially increased sanitary and phytosanitary controls, including staffing and  upgrading infrastructure at ports and airports. I expect the work on this plan to be completed in September.