Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
336. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the likely allocation to Ireland of the €5 billion EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34353/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI welcome the agreement reached in July on the Multiannual Financial Framework, which included a €5 billion Brexit Adjustment Reserve for Member States and sectors most affected by Brexit. This is a new Reserve, and the particulars of how it will be distributed will be agreed after the Commission has presented its proposals for the Reserve later this month.
It is important to recognise the disproportionate impact that Brexit will have on Ireland, and especially on the Irish agri-food sector. Agri-food trade with or through Great Britain is going to be impacted by new customs and regulatory requirements and associated costs that will apply from 1 January 2021. It is important that all operators understand that these requirements will apply whether there is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or not. Additionally, there is a serious potential impact from the EU and UK tariff schedules which would be imposed on trade between Ireland and Great Britain if a FTA that provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas is not agreed between the EU and the UK.
My Department has put in place financial and budgetary measures to help the agri-food and fisheries sectors meet the Brexit challenges they have faced to date. The Government's Brexit Readiness Action Plan makes it clear that further measures to support businesses and affected sectors will be considered in the coming months.
The Brexit Adjustment Reserve will be an important additional support for those adjusting to the new reality of trading with the UK as a third country. Every effort will be made to ensure that the agri-food sector gets an allocation from this Reserve that is commensurate with the impact on the sector.
