Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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16. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he anticipates sectors under the aegis of his Department to be affected by Brexit with particular reference to inward investments and future expansion affecting the tourism and transport sectors; the extent to which he continues to liaise with European institutions in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32762/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Brexit has been identified as a major strategic risk facing my Department, and I and my officials are continuing to prioritise work on identifying and planning measures to mitigate these risks. The Taoiseach has already outlined Ireland’s specific concerns arising from Brexit, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland, the peace process, North-South relations, citizenship issues, the Common Travel Area, the border, trade, currency fluctuation impacts and increased competitiveness on the part of British based competitors to Irish based enterprises.

As an Island nation we are heavily dependent for trade and tourism on the efficiency and ease of the transport links between Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and wider destinations. In terms of trade, the UK is Ireland's largest export market accounting for some 17% of our total exports in 2014, and Ireland is the UK's fifth largest export market. In terms of tourism, Great Britain has consistently been Ireland's most important overseas market. In 2015 there was just over 3.5 million overseas visits from Great Britain to Ireland, representing 41% of all overseas visits.

Any physical or regulatory barriers to the ease of the existing access links could hinder the current arrangements for aviation, maritime and international road transport services.  Additionally, any physical border would cause delays in the movement of employees and goods resulting in costs to business and disincentives to tourists considering visiting Ireland.

The weakness of sterling is also impacting on business, international transport and travel and on the competitiveness of the tourist offering.  While CSO data released this week shows a continuing strong increase in British visitors, research undertaken by the tourism agencies is already indicating some softening in the British market and forecasting significant challenges ahead.

The Cabinet Committee Meeting on Brexit, of which I am a member, has agreed the establishment of six sectoral work groups to provide key sectoral and thematic advices to the Cabinet Committee and to Government.  My Department is represented on 3 of these Committees and also chairs the sub-group on Tourism.

The work of these cross-department working groups and sub-groups  is underway.  They will complement and build on the extensive work already done by my Department and our agencies in assessing and planning for the UK exit and mitigating key risks and opportunities, including inward investment. In order to fully inform this assessment, my officials are consulting with a wide range of key public and private stakeholders involved in tourism, transport and trade, and with other Government departments and EU institutions.