Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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223. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he has had discussions with his EU colleagues with a view to common strategy in the aftermath of Brexit and Covid-19 with particular reference to the need to maximise opportunities for the domestic economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45872/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Over the past eighteen months, two issues have dominated the policy landscape, namely the global pandemic, and the UK’s departure from the EU.

In relation to the global pandemic, the European Union has responded with an unprecedented €800 billion recovery package, NextGenerationEU. At the heart of this package is the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan will enable Ireland to access funding under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The Plan has a total value of €990 million. Its overall objective is to contribute to a sustainable, equitable, green and digital recovery, in a manner that complements and supports the Government’s broader recovery effort. It is aligned with domestic policies, notably the Economic Recovery Plan and the National Development Plan.

On 24 March 2021 the Minister for Finance and I met the European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, to discuss Ireland’s draft Plan. The draft Plan was submitted to the European Commission on 28 May 2021.

On 16 July 2021 I met Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when she travelled to Dublin to present the Commission’s positive assessment of the Plan to the Taoiseach. On 6 September 2021 I joined the Minister for Finance at a meeting of EU Finance Ministers where Ireland’s Plan received Council approval.

On 21 September 2021 I met Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni to discuss our Plan, and we both took part in an online stakeholder event hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs.

In relation to the UK’s departure from the EU, the Union has put in place funding for the Member States and sectors most affected through the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. The Reserve has a total value of €5 billion in constant (2018) prices, or €5.47 billion in current prices.

I am pleased to say that Ireland has been allocated €1.065 billion in constant (2018) prices, equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices. This represents 21% of the total value of the Reserve, the largest allocation for any Member State.

The objective of Reserve is to provide support to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial and, where appropriate, environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.

In Ireland’s case, the allocation of resources from the Reserve will be aligned with the annual Estimates process. Ireland has already spent a considerable amount on preparing for Brexit, with successive budgets since the UK referendum providing significant supports for business and the agri-food sectors, as well as the infrastructure required at the ports and airport to maintain the flow of east west trade.

In addition, Ireland continues to benefit from Structural Funds under the EU’s Cohesion Policy. I will be travelling to Brussels in November for a meeting of Cohesion Policy Ministers where I will have an opportunity to discuss with colleagues how we can respond to the shared challenges we face.