Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1315. To ask the Minister for Health the role his officials have in relation to coordinating the bid to attract EU agencies to locate here. [25628/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As a consequence of the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) must relocate to another Member State. The Government believes that moving the Agency to Dublin would offer a sustainable solution which will minimise any disruption to its operations caused by the relocation.

On 25 October 2016 the Government established an interdepartmental/interagency working group, chaired by my Department, to prepare a bid for the relocation of the Agency to Dublin.

My officials have commissioned and launched a promotional brochure and website, setting out the advantages of a move to Dublin for the EMA, and are also co-ordinating a political, diplomatic and multimedia campaign to gain support for the Dublin bid. Irish Diplomats are also campaigning in every Member State capital to promote the Dublin bid.

It is expected that official bid to be the new host city for the EMA will have to be submitted to the E.U. Council by the 31st July 2017. My officials are currently working intensely in conjunction with the Interdepartmental group and officials from other Departments and Agencies as appropriate, to ensure that a high quality bid is ready for submission by the deadline.