Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019
525. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the relevant departmental officials have spoken to their counterparts in the UK with regard to food production and the transport of raw materials such as milk from Northern Ireland to here for processing and re-exporting of manufacturing products to England as a result of Brexit; his plans in place in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6324/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra531. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a co-ordinated approach in respect of food imports and exports for SMEs to Northern Ireland and the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit has been developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6509/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 531 together.
Among the priorities set by the Irish Government at the outset in relation to the Brexit negotiations was the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, and the avoidance of a hard border on the island of Ireland.
The position of the Irish Government continues to be that it is not preparing for a hard border on the island of Ireland and that the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU is for the UK Parliament to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement, with its backstop provisions, as already endorsed by the UK Government and the European Council.
Consequently neither I nor my officials have been involved with Northern Ireland representatives in developing a coordinated approach in respect of food imports and exports for SMEs to Northern Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
However, I and my officials have been working hard, in conjunction with other Departments and Agencies, to ensure the minimum possible disruption to the movement of agrifood products between Ireland and Great Britain, while at the same time discharging our obligations under EU legislation.
The requirements in this area are significant, and arise in relation to the carrying out of documentary, identity and physical checks on imports of animals, plants, and products of animal and plant origin, as set out in EU legislation. It is also possible that there could be significant export certification requirements in respect of exports of agri-food and fisheries products to the UK post-Brexit.
Work in this regard has been focused on three key areas, namely, infrastructure, staffing and information technology, and in three key locations, that is Dublin Port, Rosslare Port and Dublin Airport.
I am confident that the state will be in a position to apply the relevant measures at the appropriate time.
