Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

86. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment his assessment on the preparedness of Irish businesses for the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34983/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The U.K. will leave the single market & customs union in less than 60 days. No matter what happens between now and then, there will be changes. If you are a business owner, now is the time to get ready.

The Government’s Brexit Readiness Action Plan sets out a broad range of changes that will occur from 31 December 2020, regardless of the outcome of ongoing EU-UK negotiations. It provides clear and concise advice on steps to be taken now by businesses and individuals in order to prepare for the end of the Transition Period.

All Government Departments, agencies, and regulatory bodies are preparing for the end of the transition period. Measures to help businesses to get ready for the introduction of new customs arrangements from 1 January 2021 have been put in place, in addition to supports in place already to help with COVID-19 and Brexit.

Enterprise measures in place include a €20 million ‘Ready for Customs’ support scheme (part of the Government’s €5 billion July Stimulus package). Enterprise Ireland's ‘Ready for Customs’ scheme is available to help businesses recruit and build staff expertise in customs declarations and provide for related investment in relevant ICT. This financial incentive of up to €9,000 will help businesses meet the challenge that will become very real on 1st January next.

We have designed an easy to use Brexit Readiness Checker to make it easier for businesses to see what needs to be done - . The Checker allows you to answer questions and get a unique report setting out what needs to be done for your business. It’s a really difficult time for business owners and we hope this helps make getting ready a bit more straightforward.

Skillnet Ireland offers a free online customs training programme, ‘Clear Customs’, to support the customs intermediary sector and businesses that moves goods frequently to, from, or through Great Britain.

Other advisory tools, direct grants and funding supports include:

- Enterprise Ireland online Customs Insights course, and Brexit Readiness Checker which produces a report assessing a company’s readiness for Brexit.

- Local Enterprise Offices one-to-one Brexit mentoring and training “Prepare Your Business for Customs” workshops, and grants to business responding to Brexit challenges including the Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters (TAME) grant of €2,500 and LEAN for Micro grants to assist productivity improvements.

- The new €2 billion Credit Guarantee Scheme, which is the largest guarantee scheme that has ever been provided for Irish businesses to date, to ensure there is financing available for Irish businesses as they reboot and rebuild both through Covid-19 and Brexit.

- Further funding to MFI to ensure it can meet the needs of microenterprises that can not avail of bank funding over the coming period.

- Expansion of the SBCI Future Growth Loan Scheme up to €800m in lending.

Supports and advice are also available from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, the Health and Safety Authority, IDA Ireland, Revenue, Skillnet Ireland, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Bord Bia and Fáilte Ireland. Full details on Brexit supports are available at: .

I will continue to engage with and encourage business to examine their Brexit readiness and take action where they need to.