Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current and capital expenditure for each Department; the amount spent or expenditure committed to be spent in 2019 to deal specifically with a no-deal Brexit scenario (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9217/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Dedicated measures to prepare for Brexit were announced in Budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019, to ensure that Ireland is in the best possible position to respond to the challenges that Brexit will bring.

In Budget 2019 increased resources of €25 million were provided across a range of Departments and Offices. This will enable the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, the Department of Health and the HSE implement necessary measures including in the areas of customs, SPS and food safety controls.

The €300 million Future Growth Loan Scheme, jointly funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation and the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, provides a longer-term facility to support strategic capital investment by business at competitive rates in a post-Brexit environment.

A €71 million package has been provided for the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine and its agencies, Teagasc and Bord Bia, to further strengthen the agriculture sector’s ability to become more resilient in addressing the challenges of Brexit.

An increase of €14 million in the allocation for the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation will enable it to continue to plan for the impact of Brexit on the business sector, including the expansion of Departmental and regulatory agency capacity, the expansion of its agencies' global footprint and additional Brexit information campaigns and supports.

€5 million has been allocated to the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade to enable it to continue to address the challenges posed by Brexit across a range of headings, including building capacity across strategic European locations and developing outreach responsibilities through public and stakeholder engagement and EU alliance enhancement. In addition, additional funding of €13 million will support the opening of new markets for our businesses and a higher international profile though our Global Ireland 2025 strategy, which aims to strengthen Ireland’s global footprint.

At its meeting on 11 December 2018, the Government decided to give greater immediate priority to the preparations for a no-deal Brexit. This work is being co-ordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, and involves all Government Departments and agencies.

Given the proximity of the date of Brexit, contingency planning has moved to taking actions to mitigate the risks of a no-deal Brexit, without prejudice to the Government’s priority of finalising the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement. Last week, on 22 February 2019, the Government published the Brexit Omnibus Bill which contains measures to protect our citizens and support the economy, enterprise and jobs, particularly in key economic sectors.

The Government will continue to prepare for a no-deal scenario, including detailed consideration of the additional resources to mitigate the impacts of such a scenario.