Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2747. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government 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. [34667/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s contingency planning for Brexit was initiated well in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016 and since May 2017, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has overseen a sustained intensification of these efforts. To this end, co-ordination of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit is being taken forward through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by his Department and on 18 July he presented a detailed Memorandum to the Government on Brexit Preparedness and Contingency Planning.
Contingency planning for a no-deal or worst-case outcome, bringing together the detailed work being undertaken by individual Ministers and their Departments on issues within their policy remit, was identified as an early priority and is now well advanced. Its focus is on the immediate economic, regulatory and operational challenges which would result from such an outcome. It assumes a trading relationship based on the default WTO rules, but also examines the possible effects on many other areas of concern.
This work has provided baseline scenarios for the impact of Brexit across all sectors, which can then be adapted as appropriate in light of developments in the EU-UK negotiations. This is enabling the modelling of potential responses under different scenarios, such as one where a withdrawal agreement, including a transitional arrangement, is concluded and where a Free Trade Agreement is the basis for the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
On the basis of this work, relevant Departments have now been tasked by the Government to roll out detailed Action Plans with a view to advancing, as appropriate, the mitigating measures which have been identified in the areas of their responsibility from the planning to the implementation phase.
My Department's priorities are primarily domestically focused and, therefore, the potential impacts of the outcomes under different Brexit scenarios are not considered likely to significantly affect my Department's main areas of activity, although it is clear that there will be impacts in some areas where trans-boundary issues may arise such as in respect of water, the marine environment and planning, for example. These trans-boundary issues will be considered further in the context of the Actions Plans referred to above. At this stage, no specific additional roles have been identified for Brexit-related activity in my Department; however, the issue will be kept under review as matters progress and staff across the Department in a range of areas are, and will remain, involved as necessary. My Department will also continue to work closely with other Departments through the established structures, monitoring the progress of the negotiations and responding as appropriate.
