Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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113. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in her Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17006/17]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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114. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff deployed full time in her Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17022/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together.

The International Policy Division within my Department has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the Department's work as it relates to matters concerning UK withdrawal from the EU. The Division is headed-up by an Assistant Secretary and comprises a team in Dublin and a team based in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels currently consisting of 11 Officers. Arrangements with respect to the assignment of an additional post to the Permanent Representation to support the Brussels based aspects of the forthcoming negotiations are underway.

Complementing this, six senior officers from each of the key areas in the Department (who are in turn supported by relevant staff) have been selected to make up a cross Divisional working group to focus on the key negotiating issues.

The number of staff assigned to work on Brexit related matters is being kept under review and weekly progress updates are provided to the Department's Management Board on the analysis and preparations underway.