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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

No-deal Brexit port contingency planning

Summary

Deputy Howlin asks about contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit, focusing on Dublin Port and Rosslare. The Tánaiste says Cabinet has been updated, the plans are based on a transition scenario, and more urgent contingency work is under way but will not be published; he says he has been open in the Brexit stakeholders' forum.

My question is about the contingency planning that is under way by the Government for a no-deal Brexit in the event of that unwelcome eventuality. I will focus on one narrow element. During the week, there was an easterly wind which briefly closed Dublin Port and which caused traffic to be backed up from the port and out towards the airport. This is the main entrance and egress point for the bulk of our trade so we must have specific plans to deal with the imports and exports coming to and leaving this country. The other port is Rosslare Europort. That port needs specific funding to complete the M11 access and to ensure the port is reconfigured to deal with the new circumstances. Will the Tánaiste share what planning is taking place for these specific points, which could be catastrophic if we are not prepared?

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Simon Coveney The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I brought an updated report to the Cabinet this week, with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, on the state of preparedness regarding contingency for-----

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Is that including these matters?

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Simon Coveney The Tánaiste Fine Gael

Yes. It is important to say that those contingency plans are based on a central case scenario. This assumes that we would have a transition period for at least 21 months and that we would have a withdrawal agreement signed off and ratified. Of course, if we have to put in place contingency planning for a more urgent situation involving a no-deal Brexit, we have been working for months on this, but we do not believe that it is prudent to publish anything in that regard-----

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Will the Tánaiste share it with some of us in the House?

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Simon Coveney The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I believe that I have been pretty open on this with everyone who was on the-----

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On the Brexit stakeholders' forum.

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Simon Coveney The Tánaiste Fine Gael

-----Brexit stakeholders' forum, which the Deputy is a member of, and I will continue to be very open in that forum.

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