Written answers

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Brexit Preparations

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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152. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which he and his Department have made sufficient alternative preparations to facilitate the air transport sector in its efforts to fulfil its obligations to customers in respect of freight and passenger services in the post-Brexit and ongoing Covid-19 eras; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36096/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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With regard to Brexit, the Government continues to support EU negotiators in working towards a future relationship agreement with the UK, including for aviation. We are seeking an agreement on aviation which protects Ireland’s connectivity to and through the UK and which allows for flexibility in commercial operations.

Irrespective of the outcome of the ongoing negotiations, the end of the Brexit transition period will bring changes compared with today and certain actions must be taken now to prepare for that change.

On 9 September, the Government published an updated Brexit Readiness Action Plan. This Plan supports and promotes the necessary preparations for the end of the transition period. The plan includes a section on aviation with advice to stakeholders on what they should do to be ready for the changes to come. This readiness work is being supported by a major national communications campaign under the ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’ brand. In addition, officials in my Department remain in close contact with aviation stakeholders to support their Brexit readiness.

The daa has been working on facilities and signage for passengers arriving from the UK into Dublin and Cork airports, and the OPW, along with several other Departments, has installed a Border Control Post in Dublin Airport so that goods, such as agricultural and medical, arriving from the UK can be checked and cleared by Customs, Health and Veterinary officials.

As regards planning for the longer term, my Department had commenced scoping work on a revised National Aviation Policy. However, Covid-19 has fundamentally changed the aviation landscape. Significant uncertainty remains on how long the pandemic will last and when aviation might return to pre-Covid-19 levels. The National Aviation Policy will be revisited in the future once the Covid-19 recovery picture is clearer.

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