Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It should be noted that preparations for all the various Brexit scenarios are being led at Government level by my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Coveney. The Government's planning for Brexit was initiated in advance of the UK referendum in June 2016. My Department and its agencies have fed into this process where appropriate and will continue to engage across Government and with our stakeholders in the rural and community development sectors.

The Government remains firmly of the view that the best way to ensure an orderly withdrawal and to fully protect the Good Friday Agreement is to ratify the withdrawal agreement. This is a fair and balanced deal with compromises on both sides. However, given the political uncertainty in the United Kingdom, the risk of a no-deal outcome remains. The Government, working at the EU level and at home, has been preparing for all outcomes for all communities and citizens. I am confident that we are as ready as we can be but it is important that businesses and citizens do what is necessary to be prepared. Preparing for a no-deal Brexit is about damage limitation, and a no-deal outcome may have serious implications across a number of sectors.

As part of the Government’s planning, legislation was enacted on 17 March 2019 which is focused on protecting our citizens and on supporting the economy and jobs, particularly in key economic sectors most exposed to Brexit, including Border communities. Anticipating and preparing for these possible impacts is a priority and the funding provided by my Department to build resilient communities across the country will become even more important in the event of a no-deal Brexit. My Department's focus continues to be on maintaining maximum flexibility in our programme of funding initiatives, to enable us to continue to support all communities and to target available funding to those economic sectors and geographic areas most in need.

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