Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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53. To ask the Minister for Finance the role his Department had in Ireland's bid for the European Banking Authority and his engagements with other European leaders on Ireland's bid. [50203/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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On Monday the 20th of November, Ministers from the 27 EU member States decided where to locate the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) when the UK leaves the Union. Both processes were closely contested with 8 countries in the running for the EBA and 19 for the EMA. The decision on both Agencies came down to the drawing of lots and in the end Paris was confirmed as the new host of the EBA and Amsterdam as the host for the EMA.

Ireland submitted two credible bids to host either the EMA or the EBA which were regarded by other Member States and the EU Commission, as strong. In addition Ireland was seen as one of the locations that would be least disruptive to the important work of the two agencies and to their staff and families as they relocated.

Since the Government’s declaration of our bid to host the EBA, the officials in my Department have worked intensively to promote Ireland as the location of choice for the EBA. They engaged with relevant stakeholders, including meetings with the EBA and the European Commission, to highlight the benefits of relocating the Authority to Ireland.

The Department of Finance produced the bid document and the brochure that promoted Dublin as a location for the EBA. These documents were based on criteria put forward by the President of the European Commission and President of the European Council. IDA Ireland assisted on the property dimensions of the bid while a range of other Departments also contributed.

My officials also collaborated with their colleagues in the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to coordinate Ireland’s offers to host the EBA and the EMA.

During the process of building support for our EBA we engaged with all Member States. This involved a number of Ministerial visits to capitals including Minister of State D’Arcy visiting nine Member States in late September. I, along with other Ministers and officials from the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, also met with counterparts on the margins of meetings held in Europe and elsewhere. Contact was also made through our Embassy network as well as with the relevant foreign embassies in Dublin.

This was a highly competitive process and to get to the final round was a major achievement and to have it be decided by the drawing of lots was disappointing. However, our strong performance in the process and our engagement has enhanced Ireland’s reputation in the EU and it has helped strengthen our ties and relationships across a range of Member States.