Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, I am working closely with colleagues across Government to address the many challenges resulting from Brexit. This co-operation also involves the relevant State agencies. Work at Cabinet level is being prepared through cross-departmental co-ordination structures. All relevant Departments are providing research, analysis and overall policy input to the Government's wider response to Brexit, including its priorities for the ongoing Article 50 negotiations between the EU and the UK, as I outlined to Deputy Donnelly. An important focus of planning and preparation is deepening the Government's analysis and understanding of the exact consequences of a range of different possible scenarios, including one in which no withdrawal agreement is concluded. This represents an intensification of the Government's previous contingency planning. All Departments are assessing in a very concrete way the immediate legal or practical consequences of a no-deal Brexit in their areas and what mitigating measures might be possible. It will then be necessary for the Government to consider the situation in the round and discuss whether specific actions are required at that stage.

Aside from its wider co-ordination responsibilities, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has lead responsibility for planning for, preparing positions on and following the EU-UK negotiations. This requires research on and analysis of very many legal, institutional and political issues. The eventual outcome of negotiations will, of course, be decisive in determining the shape and effects of Brexit. Our permanent representation in Brussels and our embassies in all member states send us a constant stream of reports describing and analysing the concerns and priorities of EU institutions and our partners. I will come back with supplementary answers.

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