Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have taken part in a number of Brexit-related meetings, including at the North-South Ministerial Council. I have also met the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development; the UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health; the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety; the Northern Ireland Minister for Health; the UK Secretary of State for Health; the executive director of the European Medicines Agency; the CEO of the German-Irish Chamber of Industry & Commerce; the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport; the Belgian Minister of Social Affairs and Health; 23 EU permanent representatives as recently as last Friday; and a number of Irish officials as well as our ambassador. We have been very busy in the Department of Health working on Brexit, as all Departments are.

Ireland’s preparations for Brexit continue to be strongly co-ordinated from the centre of Government through the Brexit Cabinet committee chaired by the Taoiseach. My Department participates fully in the senior officials group on EU affairs, the interdepartmental group on EU-UK affairs, and as appropriate its working groups established to support the Cabinet committee on Brexit. Regular contact is being maintained with Departments on cross-cutting issues of relevance for the health sector.

As the Deputy is aware, a very extensive programme of engagement on Brexit by the Taoiseach and Ministers has been taking place with other EU Governments and the EU institutions reinforced by extensive engagement at diplomatic and official level. I have outlined the series of meetings I have had in the past year, including with the EU Commissioners and fellow Health Ministers.

In the area of health, all work relating to the impact of Brexit is informed by the following key priorities: to ensure continuity in the provision of health services; and to avoid any changes to the current situation that would have a negative impact on human health.

The Department of Health and its agencies have been conducting detailed analysis on the impacts of Brexit in the area of health. Multidisciplinary workshops are continuing within the HSE and with key external stakeholders in this regard. Work on the implications of Brexit is also a priority for other health sector agencies. The ongoing preparations for Brexit include an in-depth analysis of relevant EU legislation and regulations.

In my Department, we have established a management board subcommittee, which serves as a co-ordinating body to pull the various strands of this work together. It is chaired by the deputy Secretary General and includes HSE representation at national director level.

The Government also believes that Dublin would be a very suitable location for the European Medicines Agency, particularly in the interests of ensuring continuity and sustainability in the conduct of its business. Such continuity is critical for European citizens and the industries which the EMA regulates. I visited Brussels last Friday to meet 25 EU ambassadors and diplomats and the Belgian Minister for Social Affairs and Health to provide detail of the Dublin campaign. I presented a brochure and website, www.emadublin.ie, setting out the compelling reasons for relocating the European Medicines Agency to Dublin. I will officially launch the brochure and website for the Dublin bid tomorrow. The relocation of the EMA is one of the potential benefits from Brexit. We have tough competition. The Deputy has alluded to other challenges to which I would be happy to respond.

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