Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the Government has sought changes to State aid rules in view of Brexit; the changes, the specific efforts and or requests made by the Government to date regarding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3508/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Officials of my Department have had discussions with senior officials from DG Competition to sensitise them to both the potential and the real difficulties encountered by Irish businesses as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Furthermore, in November 2017, the then Tánaiste met with Commissioner Vestager. An outcome from this meeting was the establishment of a Working Group comprising representatives from DG Comp, the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland and Department of Agriculture. The objective of the Group is to scope and design schemes to support enterprise impacted by Brexit in line with State Aid rules. The work of this Group has already commenced and it is due to have its third meeting in February 2018. In between these meetings, there has been engagement on specific issues in order to continue to progress matters. Should issues arise that require an approach that does not fit within the existing State Aid rules, this will be raised as part of the Working Group discussions.