Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It remains to be seen what Brexit will mean for the Single Market, what access the UK will have to it and on what terms. The Office of Government Procurement has been preparing for Brexit-related issues in terms of risks we may face. We might already be contracting something from the UK that is an essential service we do not have here. Is there a gap there where we will not be able to procure something all of a sudden or have to procure it on much more expensive terms? We are doing that work at the moment. There will potentially be significant opportunities if the UK no longer has access to the EU Single Market for procurement. The UK is winning a number of bids in other European countries so there might be space for Irish companies to fill that gap and win more business abroad which will be very helpful. The other potential risk involves Irish companies procuring or winning bids from the Government when their supply chain includes UK goods and services. It would depend on where the UK ends up vis-à-visits access to the Single Market. The Office of Government Procurement is aware of these concerns. Part of the Government's approach to Brexit is preparing for the various outcomes that might arise.