Dáil debates
Thursday, 14 February 2019
Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Brexit Preparations
10:30 am
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he confirm the number of additional staff Revenue has in place right now? He said that by the end of March, 400 staff are expected to be in place but six weeks out from Brexit can he confirm how many of them are in place? There will be a training requirement taking several weeks.
It remains a major concern that so many SMEs are not prepared for Brexit. The chairman of Revenue told us that they estimate some 70,000 Irish SMEs traded with the UK in 2017. We have had survey after survey telling us that many of them, regrettably, have not taken significant steps to prepare for what could be an enormous challenge. Perhaps the Minister could address that point in his response. Will he acknowledge that much of the work with regard to our ports is not significantly advanced, that they are not going to be ready and that this will be the reality as of the end of March?
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