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

No-deal planning has the highest priority across Government. As stated earlier, we have been actively preparing for Brexit in order to ensure that citizens and businesses are as ready as possible for all scenarios.

Our consistent message has been that a no-deal Brexit will have profound implications for Ireland on many levels. This is why we have published two comprehensive contingency action plans - one in December last and one in July - setting out the impact of a no-deal Brexit and the work being done to mitigate these risks, held over 1,200 stakeholder preparedness events in all key sectors right across the country, enhanced physical capacity at our ports and airports - Dublin Port alone has spent over €30 million to date - provided training and financial supports to increase our customs capacity, recruited additional staff in key areas and included dedicated measures to get Ireland Brexit ready in budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Appropriate funding supports for businesses have been an important pillar of the Government's preparations for Brexit and dedicated measures have been made available in the previous three budgets. Budget 2019 measures included the introduction of a new longer-term loan scheme of up to €300 million to which the Taoiseach referred earlier and the future growth loan scheme to support strategic capital investment for a post-Brexit environment by business at competitive rates for terms of eight to ten years. This is in addition to announcements in previous budgets where over €450 million was allocated in business supports, including budget 2018's €300 million Brexit loan scheme for businesses.

The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, has stated that budget 2020 will be based on the assumption of a no-deal Brexit, that the Government will make provision for timely, targeted, temporary measures for the sectors most exposed and that will involve a considerable amount of money. The Government has been clear that, in its approach to this year's budget, it is important to give certainty to businesses and citizens that the Government is prepared for a no-deal Brexit and stands ready to support the economy in such a scenario.

This approach underlines why it is so important that exposed businesses in particular prepare for no deal. To support businesses in this, we recently launched the Getting Your Business Brexit Ready – Practical Steps campaign which focuses on nine steps every business – large and small - should take now to help prepare for Brexit. At this week's National Ploughing Championships, a dedicated Brexit hub will engage directly with business and citizens to ensure that they are taking all the steps they should.

The straight answer to the Deputy's question is that I cannot give her an exact number. In three weeks' time, however, she will certainly get the answer to that when the Minister for Finance outlines his budget.

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