Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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257. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the income he has allocated to Enterprise Ireland to ensure that Irish businesses have sufficient financial supports available under the Brexit adjustment initiative to assist and prepare for the new UK import rules imposed on Irish and EU exports since January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29741/24]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what supports are available to Irish businesses under the Brexit adjustment initiative to assist in challenges presented by the new UK import rules imposed on Irish and EU exports since January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29807/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 290 together.

The Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) was established in 2021, by the EU, to support Member States in managing the impacts of Brexit.

Ireland, as the country clearly most affected by Brexit, was awarded the largest share, 20% of the entire fund.

In 2023, there was €15 million allocated to Enterprise Ireland (EI) for disbursal to indigenous companies to assist with eligible costs due as a result of Brexit. The BAR eligibility period for expenditure ran from the 1st of January 2020 to the 31st of December 2023.

The BAR regulations stated that spending on projects for inclusion in the BAR claim had to be paid before the end of the year, but the Commission also advised that projects had to be completed by the time of the submission of the Irish claim in September 2024.

The BAR regulations were published in October 2021, almost midway through the 4-year eligibility period. This meant that all Departments had to look back at their past Brexit expenditure to identify spending on business support schemes and infrastructure projects, that could meet the BAR eligibility criteria.

Enterprise Ireland designed a range of supports on behalf of my Department, which were designed, developed and launched to provide assistance to Irish enterprises to deal with potentially one of the most disruptive events to ever happen within Irish international trade.

The targeted offers launched or administered by Enterprise Ireland included:

• Be Prepared: Grants of up to €5,000 provided to Enterprise Ireland (EI) client companies to help them to assess the impact of Brexit on their business and prepare an action plan.
• Border Enterprise Development Fund: Provided support for collaborative, enterprise capability building projects, to advance entrepreneurship, productivity, and innovation in the Border Region. The aim of the fund is to improve the international competitiveness of enterprise in the Border Region in the context of Brexit and other market challenges, which now also include COVID-19.
• Capital Investment Scheme Agricultural Products: The scheme will assist companies to strengthen their operational capability and pursue product and market diversification strategies and will support the long-term future of our vital agrifood sector.
• Clear Customs Financial Support Grant: This offered essential customs training & support to those businesses most likely to be affected following Brexit. Any eligible business (Irish exporters & importers, customs agents and intermediaries) could use the Clear Customs Initiative to get their business ready for customs after Brexit.
• Evolve Strategic Planning: The maximum grant available is €5,000 or 80% of eligible expenditure. With the Evolve Strategic Planning Grant, Enterprise Ireland can help companies to prepare for future business disruption by covering the cost of developing a strategic response plan.
• Market Discovery Fund: The opportunities that arise from entering a new international market, as well as impending Brexit challenges, mean that diversification is more important than ever for Irish businesses. A streamlined application process makes it easy for companies to access funding of up to €150,000 to help them take the first step into new markets and make their global ambitions a reality.
• Ready for Customs: The grant, which was administered by Enterprise Ireland, provides up to €9,000 for each new employee hired into a customs role. The grant is flexible and allows businesses to claim for redeployed and part-time staff.