Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to address the domestic response to Brexit; his views on whether the response has been adequate to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39850/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, I am involved in coordinating the whole-of-Government response to the significant challenges that arise for Ireland within the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, including for many of our economic sectors and regions. In this capacity, I am working closely with his colleagues across Government who have policy responsibility in the areas that will need to be addressed in order to assist these sectors and regions in dealing with the many challenges resulting from Brexit. This co-operation also involves the relevant State Agencies. Ensuring that Ireland’s interests are reflected in the EU’s approach to the ongoing EU-UK negotiations is a central dimension of Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit. In this regard, our overriding objective is to work with our EU27 partners to achieve the closest possible relationship between the EU and the UK. The closer we come to this objective, the less the negative consequences for Ireland and for specific sectors.

Beyond the negotiations, the Government’s overall response to Brexit will continue to be structured around five principal pillars:

sustainable fiscal policies to ensure capacity to absorb and respond to economic shocks, not least from Brexit;

policies to make Irish enterprise more diverse and resilient, to diversify trade and investment patterns, and to strengthen competitiveness;

prioritising policy measures and dedicating resources to protect jobs and businesses in the sectors and regions most affected by Brexit;

realising economic opportunities arising from Brexit, and helping businesses adjust to any new logistical or trade barriers arising;

making a strong case at EU level that Ireland will require support that recognises where Brexit represents a serious disturbance to the Irish economy.

Policy decisions in support of these objectives will arise across a wide range of policy areas and that will continue to fall within the direct responsibility of other Government colleagues, including the annual budgetary process; the forthcoming National Planning Framework 2040; the new 10-year National Capital Plan; the Review of Enterprise 2025 Policy, and sectorial policies and investment decisions in areas such as agriculture, enterprise, transport, communications and energy.

The Government has already taken important steps in this regard, including in Budget 2017, the Action Plan for Jobs 2017, and our Trade and Investment Strategy. Further discussions are taking place in the context of next month’s Budget 2018.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, I will be stepping up the overall strategic oversight of these efforts across Government. This will involve building upon the extensive cross-Government research, analysis and consultation with stakeholders that has already been undertaken and ensuring a coordinated approach that facilitates the early identification of potential synergies across Government. New interdepartmental coordination mechanisms are currently being put in place to reflect the enhanced responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in this regard.

I will also be continuing the Government’s intensive programme of engagement with EU partners and with the UK, with a view to ensuring Ireland’s priorities and concerns with regard to the EU-UK negotiations are fully understood. This engagement, together with the Government’s engagement with other international partners, are also aimed at supporting our trade diversification efforts and our efforts to realise the economic opportunities arising from Brexit.

Engagement with stakeholders on the ground in Ireland will also be a key priority and I have already convened a new Brexit Stakeholder Forum, which met for the first time on 13 September. This brings together the voices of business, unions, state agencies, political parties and leading experts who have an important contribution to make in helping to shape the Government’s response to Brexit, both in terms of the EU-UK negotiations and the Government’s economic response. I will also be convening the third plenary session of the All-Island Civic Dialogue on 28 September.