Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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259. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the use of the €1.065 billion Brexit adjustment reserve per Department to mitigate impacts from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023; the amount allocated from the fund to date; the purpose of each allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14796/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Union’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), provides support to counter the adverse economic, social, territorial and, environmental consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. €5.47 billion euro was allocated to the fund. Ireland’s allocation is €1.065 billion in 2018 prices (equivalent to €1.165 billion in current prices), representing just over 20% of the total Reserve, or the largest allocation for any Member State. Following agreement to transfer €150 million to Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Ireland’s BAR allocation will be €1.015 billion.

The application for BAR funding must set out the negative impacts of the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union and how the measures carried out under the Fund alleviate the adverse consequences.

The BAR eligibility period for expenditure runs from the 1st of January 2020 to the 31st of December 2023.

The Government has made significant allocations across a range of sectors, both before and during the 4-year BAR period. The purpose of these allocations is to mitigate against the negative consequences of Brexit and to adapt to regulatory changes. Following the BAR Regulation coming into force in October 2021, specific funding was provided in Budgets 2022 and 2023, as set out in the Table below, and further funding can be considered for allocation over the remainder of 2023. This would also include consideration of funding in relation to permanent infrastructure at Rosslare port required for customs and SPS checks.

My Department has been engaging with Departments to identify further spending outside of that allocated under Budgets 2022 and 2023 which may qualify for inclusion in the claim, including in respect of spending allocated to mitigate Brexit in advance of Budget 2022. A figure of c.€0.7 billion has been identified in this regard. Work is ongoing to verify for eligibility this significant funding allocated across 2020 to 2023 for inclusion in Ireland’s final BAR claim in September 2024.

Over the course of Budgets 2022 and 2023, some €389 million was allocated, as follows.