Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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261. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which he and his Department have assessed the challenges or opportunities arising from Brexit; his proposals to address such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39081/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Government's planning in preparing for the negotiations for the UK exit is intensifying at both political and official level. As part of this process, my Department has been heavily engaged in working with other Government Departments, and with key public and private stakeholders across the tourism and transport sectors, in analysing the implications of the UK exit from the EU. I am meeting Chris Hazzard, MLA, Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on Monday next under the North South Ministerial Council framework to consider, amongst other matters, the transport risks and impacts of the UK exit. Officials have also met with their counterparts in Northern Ireland and in London as part of the overall transport and tourism assessment of these implications and will continue to do so.

The analyses is challenging as Article 50 is not expected to be triggered until early 2017. The detail of the implications of UK's exit and future relationship with the EU will only become clearer as the negotiation process evolves.