Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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39. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Brexit readiness vouchers from InterTradeIreland that have been availed of since being established, by county; and the total value of such vouchers, in tabular form. [38301/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Details on the number of Brexit readiness vouchers approved to date by InterTradeIreland (ITI) from the funding provided by my Department to the body for its Brexit related initiatives are as follows:

ITI is currently engaging with 39 further businesses about participating in this scheme.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she or her Department made representations to the EU Commission’s Advisory Committee on State Aid on changing the state aid rules regarding protecting exposed sectors here and safeguarding jobs from a hard Brexit scenario. [38303/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The EU Commission's Advisory Committee on State Aid is comprised of Commission members and Member States’ representatives. The Commission calls meetings of the Advisory Committee on State Aid to consult with the Committee on any changes to State Aid rules and regulations in advance of the final implementation of these changes.

As a consultative Committee it is not a forum for direct representations from Member States. Nor does the Committee itself propose changes to the State Aid rules.

The Committee last met in November 2016 to discuss the revision of the General Block Exemption Regulation and its extension to ports and airports. A date for a further meeting of the Committee has not been set.

The Government is conscious of the need to consider the types of supports that Irish businesses may require to address challenges arising as a result of the Brexit Referendum, which is likely to represent a structural shift in the UK trading relations. Short, medium and long term responses from market diversification through to price repositioning will be needed.

A lot can be done within the existing EU State Aid Framework. My Department is working with the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland and the SBCI to develop appropriate, tailored and targeted responses. This work, along with market developments as a result of Brexit, and ongoing engagement with the business community, will inform further discussions with the Commission and the development of any further initiatives to business.

Should issues arise that require an approach that does not fit within the existing rules, we will move quickly to advance with the EU Commission through the proper channels.