Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government has taken a number of contingency steps to help mitigate the impacts of Brexit on the agrifood sector. For example, I have introduced a number of budgetary measures aimed at improving competitiveness and developing market and product diversification. These have included low-cost loan schemes to assist in on-farm and agri-business cost effectiveness, additional supports to Bord Bia and Teagasc to support market and product diversification and, in budget 2019, a €78 million package to support farmers, fishermen and food SMEs.

I have also held discussions with Commissioner Hogan on the impact of Brexit, most recently at the European Council of agriculture ministers in Brussels. I have stressed the need to be ready to deploy a range of measures to mitigate the impact on the sector, particularly on the beef sector, which would be severely affected by, for example, recent UK proposals on tariffs. Such measures could include traditional market supports and exceptional aid provisions under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, single Common Market organisation regulation, as well as increased flexibility under state aid regulations. Commissioner Hogan has reiterated the EU's readiness to respond and we will remain in contact on these issues as the situation evolves.

While ratification of the withdrawal agreement is still the Government's objective, preparations are under way for a no-deal Brexit. On preparedness for import controls, we have been working with other Departments and agencies to have the necessary arrangements in place at our ports and airports to allow the Department to fulfil its legal obligations as efficiently as possible while also ensuring the minimum possible disruption to trading arrangements. The Department has also sharpened its Brexit communications strategy, which now includes an enhanced Brexit page on the Department's website, the circulation of focused trader notices to the relevant sectors, the establishment of a Brexit call centre and central e-mail address, and increased use of social media and communications.

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