Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

727. To ask the Minister for Health if funding has been earmarked and set aside to prepare the health service for Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13296/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of Health is, in line with Government priorities, continuing to prepare for a no deal Brexit, in the overall context of the Government's objective to secure an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU.

Approximately €10m has been identified to date by the Department and its agencies in the context of no deal Brexit contingency planning. These additional costs mainly relate to additional staff for the HSE Environmental Health Service and the HPRA, and also includes additional funding for the HSE’s Public Analyst Laboratory Dublin (PALD) and additional facilities at Dublin Port to cater for an increased number of food safety inspections to ensure compliance with EU regulations and to protect public health through proper Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks and controls.

Further costs may arise in the health sector as a result of Brexit - this will be kept under review.