Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The first survey showed that 97% of businesses were not prepared and the next showed 98%, when one would have expected it to go in the other direction. The level of unpreparedness is unacceptable one year on from the Brexit vote. The fact that the level has deteriorated should concern us a lot.

InterTradeIreland's staff levels have dropped consistently over the past six years and it has fewer staff than last year, despite the Brexit vote and the increased workload this has brought. A freedom of information request from the Department outlined that InterTradeIreland already operated on a very tight budget, given the cuts imposed jointly by both finance Departments, and it is just about able to carry on its legislative duties.

Enterprise Ireland has lost 273 members of staff in the past ten years. How can this agency realistically prepare businesses exposed to Brexit in addition to the usual work it does when staff numbers are depleted so much? Is the level of staffing and funding affecting the preparedness levels of businesses for Brexit?

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