Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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536. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has developed proposals to maintain an all-island approach to animal health and disease issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25406/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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There is ongoing, close co-operation between my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, including through dedicated working groups established as part of the All-Island Animal Health & Welfare Strategy Action Plan by the North/South Ministerial Council. The working groups meet regularly and focus on critical issues such as disease control, animal identification and movement, cross-Border communication, data sharing and the development of joint initiatives on animal welfare. Working groups are also meeting to discuss specific Brexit issues, including in the area of animal health and disease.

In October 2016 I chaired the most recent meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council on agriculture.  Together with Michelle McIlveen, then Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, we welcomed the continuing work on the delivery of the Action Plan and, in the context of Brexit, looked forward to the continuation of practical and effective co-operation on animal health and welfare, and disease control in both jurisdictions, in order that the health and welfare of livestock is maintained at the highest level.

Since December 2016 I have hosted three all-island civic dialogue events to discuss the implications of Brexit across the agrifood sector and one civic dialogue for the fisheries sector.  These events provide important opportunities to engage directly in detail with stakeholders on the implications of Brexit and the potential responses that will be required as the negotiations unfold. The need to maintain an all-island approach to animal health/disease issues was discussed.

I have held a number of meetings with my EU colleagues and the European Commissioner for agriculture over the past few months to discuss Brexit and the potential implications for the agrifood and fisheries sectors in Ireland. As part of these discussions, I outlined the integrated nature of the North-South food economy and cautioned against the potential implications of a return to a hard Border.

Within my Department I established a Brexit Response Committee and a dedicated Brexit Unit. A Stakeholder Consultative Committee was also established, to assess the impact of Brexit and to ensure a full exchange of information in advance of exit negotiations taking place.