Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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31. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's work regarding Brexit; the areas being focused on; the meetings that have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4874/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department, together with its agencies and stakeholders, has been considering all of the potential impacts of Brexit, looking at where the areas of greatest risk arise and where we will need to focus on when the negotiations begin.

It is clear that there are short- and longer-term implications for the agri-food sector. In the short-term, the impact of the fall in the value of sterling against the euro is one that is already being felt, while in the longer-term we will have to deal with the significant challenges that will potentially arise from  changes to trade and tariff arrangements, the introduction of border controls, certification requirements, and from the loss of the UK contribution to the EU budget. There are also very significant and complex implications for the fisheries sector.

From an agri-food perspective, and given the importance of the UK market for the sector, our demand will be for continued free access to the UK market, without tariffs and with minimal customs and administrative procedures, and to keep the UK market viable for Irish producers by minimising the risk from UK trade agreements with third countries.

In fisheries, we want to maintain current access to fishing grounds in the UK zone in the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and north of Donegal and protect Ireland’s quota share for joint fish stocks.

In the meantime, my Department continues to progress its analysis of the likely implications of Brexit, and to further its engagement with stakeholders, UK and Northern Ireland counterparts, Member State colleagues and European institutions.

The steps taken to date include:

- a dedicated Brexit unit has been established to co-ordinate all activities;

- a Brexit Response Committee comprising all relevant Department divisions is now active;

- A Stakeholder Consultative Committee has been established;

- Brexit has been added as a standing item to the agenda of the Food Wise 2025 High Level Implementation Committee,

- Close consultation with Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Enterprise Ireland is ongoing - significant additional resources were allocated to Bord Bia and BIM in Budget 2017 in order to provide Brexit-related supports to affected companies;

- Other Budget 2017 supports for the sector included a new €150 million low-cost loan scheme, agri-taxation measures, and increased funding under the Rural Development Programme and Seafood Development Programme;

- The Department is feeding into the overall Government response being co-ordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach;

- I hosted an All Island Civic Dialogue on 15 December, to which interested stakeholders from both sides of the border were invited.  It focused on dairy, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.  Two further events are planned for 1 February (Fisheries) and 8 February (other agri-food sectors);

- DAFM officials are engaging closely with their NI counterparts through the NSMC and bilateral meetings, including on specific areas of co-operation;

- Political engagement with NI and UK counterparts has also increased, including through my own recent meetings with NI Minister Michelle McIlveen and UK SoS Andrea Leadsom (most recently in Berlin on 22 January 2017).

- At EU level, I am in regular contact with counterparts on the margins of AgriFish Council meetings, and arrangements are currently being made for formal bilateral meetings with key Member States, including France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and forthcoming EU Presidencies Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria in the coming weeks;

- My Department's network of agriculture attaches is also engaged as appropriate in agri-food-related Brexit follow-up through the Embassies in London, Paris and Geneva, and Ireland's Permanent Representation in Brussels;

- I have also spoken regularly to Commissioner Hogan (most recently on 26 January 2017), and officials have taken part in meetings with the Commission and the Barnier Task Force (most recently on 24 January 2017).

- On the market front, I have met with the CEOs of major UK retailers and I have provided an additional €1.6 million for Bord Bia in 2016, and €2 million in 2017, to assist it in its efforts to promote Irish food.  My Department is also active on third country markets with a view to developing new business opportunities for Irish food companies. In that context, I will be leading a Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates at the end of this month. 

All of the Department’s ongoing activities will continue to be informed by the need to secure the best possible outcome for the Irish agri-food sector. And of course, Ireland will be part of the EU 27 team, and looks forward to working with fellow Member States in delivering the best possible result for Ireland and for the EU.