Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's predecessor established a Brexit unit in the Department. How many officials are engaged in the unit and what type of ongoing work is it doing with business on the ground in the regions and in the capital? The previous Minister informed us in January that Enterprise Ireland would recruit an additional 39 staff and IDA Ireland would recruit an additional ten staff to prepare for Brexit. Will the Minister comment on the work the enterprise agencies have been doing? Can additional resources be allocated to these bodies? There is still grave anxiety about the prospect of Brexit. We heard a British Minister speak casually about trucks being pulled over on the roads in the context of North-South trade. It would be intolerable to be dragged back into that environment with that type of Border.

Brexit has already impacted on tourism numbers from the United Kingdom and the used car trade. Other worrying issues are developing, such as the possibility that the projected growth rate will be cut. In addition, the Economic and Social Research Institute has indicated Brexit could cost 40,000 jobs. What will be the focus of the Department? The Minister must take a dynamic role in the budget.

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