Brexit Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 October 2019

Thursday, 10 October 2019

Ceisteanna (113)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

113. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding stream that OPW used in order to get aspects of Dublin post-Brexit ready; the amount of funding available for the works; if public procurement rules were fully complied with in order to appoint a contractor for the works; the reason that public procurement rules were not followed by the OPW in appointing a contractor for the works at Dublin Port; the amount spent on OPW projects at Dublin Port in 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41468/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

In the lead up to the end of March and mid-April Brexit deadlines, arrangements were finalised to ensure that sufficient infrastructure was in place in Dublin Port to provide an emergency response to a no-deal Brexit. Since then work has continued to further enhance these facilities.

The OPW is to be funded on an agency basis for works related to a no-deal Brexit. The OPW made no payments in 2017 or 2018 on Brexit related activity in Dublin Port. Payments of €9.95 million have been made to date in 2019 on capital works within Dublin Port spread across 7 projects. Funding is to be made available for additional infrastructure for Government Bodies as it is required.

In order to respond to the emergency scenario, the OPW used a contractor with whom an existing, appropriate schedule of costs had been agreed, established through an EU procurement process.