Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full and part-time staff respectively hired since 1 January 2017 to work directly on Brexit related issues on a Department-wide basis and in each State agency under his auspices in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25162/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Following the UK referendum in June 2016, my Department established a dedicated Brexit and Coordination Trade Division which is currently comprised of 4 experienced staff. The Division co-ordinates the ongoing analysis, consultation and engagement activities being undertaken by a large number of administrative, technical and veterinary staff, through an internal Brexit Response Committee comprised of 16 people drawn from the wide range of Divisions affected by Brexit (including, for example, Meat and Milk Policy, Animal Health and Welfare, Food Industry Development, Economics and Planning, and Seafood Policy and Development). Of course, Brexit also occupies a considerable amount of my own time and that of Minister of State Doyle, as well as the Secretary General and other senior officials in the Department.  The Brexit Coordination Division also feeds into the whole-of-Government co-ordination being undertaken by the Department of the Taoiseach. A dedicated Market Access Unit has also been established within the Meat and Milk Policy Division with 3 staff.  Staffing requirements for Brexit associated functions are constantly under review and my Department is currently in the process of recruiting/assigning additional resources to a number of areas including the Brexit Division, the fisheries area and to functions associated with product certification to support trade.  To date in 2017, my Department has hired 92 full time staff to work on a variety of issues including Brexit although, in the main Brexit issues are being dealt with by experienced DAFM staff. 

Staff hires within State agencies under my Department's auspices are a matter for the State Bodies themselves once they remain within their budget set in their Delegated Sanction.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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230. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of Brexit funding specifically allocated to each such agency in budget 2017 on a Department-wide basis and in each State agency under his auspices in tabular form; the amount of this Brexit funding that has been expended to date in each State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25163/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 budget for Bord Bia, the State Agency responsible for marketing and promotion of agri food and drink, is almost €61m. Bord Bia's activities in this area are all directly relevant to expanding market penetration and diversifying outlets for Irish food and drink against the background of Brexit.  This budget includes an additional €2 million for Bord Bia to expand its programmes and activities in response to Brexit. Some €433,894 of this amount was spent in the period January to April.  

My department will also be resourcing a market profiling exercise to be carried out by Bord Bia in 2017. This will be an invaluable tool for companies wishing to export food and drink and to my Department and its agencies in the context of prioritising their market access and development activities.

I am keeping the Department's response in relation to Brexit, including resource allocations, under close review as the negotiations proceed.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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231. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times including dates that the Brexit consultative committee has met since the UK Brexit referendum. [25164/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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One of the steps I undertook in the immediate aftermath of the UK's decision to leave the EU was to establish a Consultative Committee of Stakeholders in order to ensure a full exchange of information on the potential implications of a UK exit from the EU for the agrifood sector in Ireland. The working arrangements of the Committee are to meet as required rather than according to a pre-determined schedule.

Building on more informal consultation arrangements that had been in place in the months leading up to the referendum, I convened the first formal meeting of the Brexit Consultative Committee of Stakeholders on 7 July 2016. A comprehensive and very useful discussion on the sectorial impacts took place, and this was followed by a further meeting of the Committee on 20 October 2016.

The next stage of the consultation process took place in the context of the All-Island Civic Dialogue, which commenced in November 2016.  Three sectorial meetings for the agrifood and fisheries sectors took place between December 2016 and February 2017. The first, which comprehensively examined the potential impacts and potential solutions for the cattle and sheep, dairy, and pigs and poultry sectors, took place on 15 December 2016. The second, dealing with issues in the fisheries sector, took place on 1 February 2017. The third addressed the implications for the forestry, horticulture, prepared consumer foods and cereals/animal feed sectors, and took place on 8 February 2017.

This first stage of the All-Island Civic Dialogue concluded with a plenary discussion in Dublin Castle on 17 February 2017 which addressed, among other things, the agrifood and fisheries issues that had been raised during the sectorial meetings.

I then held a further meeting of the Stakeholder Consultative Committee on 11 April 2017. 

A second phase of the All-Island Civic Dialogue has now commenced. As part of this, I have hosted a further sectorial dialogue for the alcohol, beverage and distilling sector on 3 May 2017, and arrangements are currently being made for a similar gathering for the equine and greyhound sectors on  June.  

All of these consultations are helping to further inform my approach and that of my Department to the challenges presented by Brexit for the agrifood and fisheries sectors, and the Brexit Consultative Committee of Stakeholders will continue to play a vital role in this regard.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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232. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to protect fishing interests at upcoming Brexit negotiations if the British Government leaves the Common Fisheries Policy and the London Fisheries Convention of 1964 in view of the large percentage of landings made from the UK exclusive economic zone. [25165/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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At this stage it is impossible to say with certainty what effect Brexit will have on the Irish fishing industry. We don't know yet what changes the UK may seek to the current arrangements.

In theory, the UK could indeed restrict access to their waters and or seek to gain larger quota shares at the expense of others.  However, that could only happen if the UK were content to ignore the potential repercussions that would certainly arise from the EU side.  

On average, 35% of Irish landings are currently taken from UK waters.  However, for some of our most important stocks the figures are even higher.

Limitations on access and, more worryingly, any attempt by the UK to increase its current quota share at the expense of Ireland and others must, and will be, resisted strenuously. These twin threats, could also lead to increased activity by other EU vessels in the waters around Ireland threatening the long term sustainability of our stocks.

Earlier this year, I hosted a dedicated Civic Dialogue on the potential impacts of Brexit for the seafood sector as a whole. This was very well attended by stakeholders from across the industry and gave a clear insight into the real dangers that a 'hard' Brexit presents for our fishing communities. 

I will remain in close contact with fisheries stakeholders as the issues develop and work with them and my fellow fisheries Ministers in the EU to ensure that we are all fully prepared for what are likely to be extremely complex negotiations.  

I am also continuing to work closely with all of my European colleagues to ensure that fisheries remain a top priority in the negotiations to come.

As both I and An Taoiseach have stated before, we intend to ensure that fisheries remains high on the Brexit agenda in the EU and that Ireland obtains the best possible outcome from the negotiations. Last week (11 May), as part of Chief Brexit Negotiator, Mr Michel Barnier's visit  to Ireland, I met him and discussed the issues arising for the agrifood sector.  On fisheries, I explained Ireland's perspective and that it was shared by a number of EU partners.  I am satisfied that Mr Barnier understands the issues and significance of BREXIT for Ireland's fisheries sector.  He supports my view that fisheries negotiations must  be progressed in the context of trade and will fall into the second phase  of negotiations.  I also made clear that transitional arrangements are likely to be important for the seafood sector.

 In conclusion, I would like to assure the Deputy that I will be unequivocal in opposing any dilution of our existing EU quota shares, including protecting the benefit to Ireland of the Hague Preferences, and any limitations on our existing rights of access.