Written answers

Thursday, 2 March 2017

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Brexit Issues

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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312. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that have been introduced to assist sectors that are heavily or totally dependent on the sterling area for their export markets and that have been impacted negatively since the British referendum on EU membership and the fall in the value of sterling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11108/17]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the challenges that arise for the agri-food and fisheries sectors as a result of the Brexit vote. I have taken a number of steps to date in an effort to both mitigate the short-term impact of the fall in the value of sterling against the euro, and to prepare for the longer-term implications that are likely to arise in areas such as tariffs and trading arrangements, and border controls and certification requirements.   

The currency challenges are being addressed through a number of measures that I have introduced under Budget 2017, including the new €150 million low-cost loan scheme, additional agri-taxation measures, and increased funding under the Rural Development Programme and the Seafood Development Programme. I have also allocated significant additional resources to Bord Bia (an additional €1.6m in 2016 and €2m in 2017) and to BIM so that they can provide Brexit-related supports to affected companies.  As regards the longer-term impacts, analysis by my Department and its agencies is ongoing, and we are continuing to engage with Member States and with EU institutions to ensure that the concerns of the agri-food and fisheries sectors are fully taken on board in the course of the negotiations.

I can assure the Deputy that these efforts will continue, and that progress will be monitored on an ongoing basis in consultation with the affected sectors through my Department’s Consultative Committee of Stakeholders on Brexit and the All Island Civic Dialogue.

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