Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is undertaking any further studies on the impacts of a possible British exit from the European Union, Brexit, on Irish trade; if his Department has established a dedicated section to monitor and evaluate such possible impacts on Irish trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45035/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have addressed the subject of the UK-EU relationship in two earlier replies, to Questions Nos. 10 and 11.

My Department, both at its headquarters in Dublin and through its diplomatic missions in London, Edinburgh, Brussels and elsewhere, is highly engaged on the issue of the UK’s membership of the EU. As part of work across government, the question of potential economic and trade impacts of a UK exit from the EU was comprehensively addressed in a recent independent report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) commissioned by the Department of Finance.

Overall, the Department of the Taoiseach, through its British-Irish and Northern Ireland Division and its EU Division, is leading the wider Government efforts on this subject. My Department is working on a daily basis to identify the various issues – be they political, economic or strategic – that could arise for Ireland in the event of a UK departure from the European Union.

A dedicated British-Irish Relations Unit has been established to support this work. In recent weeks I met with the British Foreign Secretary in London, delivered a speech in Belfast focused on Northern Ireland and the EU, and hosted a business event on “Brexit” at Iveagh House.

It is certainly very important that we develop a full understanding – insofar as is possible – of the potential implications of a British withdrawal from the EU and that we are prepared for any scenario. We will continue to work with that in mind. Our priority, however, as I have said before, is doing what we can to help ensure the UK does not decide to leave the EU in the first place.