Updated 17:30
The government will not bring forward any ‘no deal’ Brexit legislation before March.
Cabinet minister met for three hours this morning to discuss how Ireland will respond if the UK crashed out of the EU without a deal.
Ministers discussed around 45 new laws which they believe will be needed in a ‘no deal’ situation and it was agreed that these should be condensed into four pieces of primary legislation before they are put before the Dáil.
The Dáil schedule for the month of March will be set aside if needed to allow for time to debate the legislation before the Brexit deadline of March 29th.
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking to the media outside Government Buildings, 03-01-2019. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews
The Cabinet also discussed stockpiling medicines, working with wholesalers and buying land near ports and airports to be ready for a no deal situation.
Speaking after the meeting this afternoon, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he hopes all the planning will prove unnecessary.
“I hope it is going to be futile because [...] the threat of no deal is only coming from the UK,” he said.
“It is not a threat that Ireland is making; not a threat the EU is making; the UK can take the threat of no deal off the table at any time – either by ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement, which their own Government has agreed to with 27 other Governments, or alternatively by seeking an extension of Article 50.”
Mr Varadkar also moved to reassure people that there will be no food shortages in Ireland if there is no deal.
“It is not something we are hugely concerned about,” he said.
“Bear in mind, we are a net food exporter; we produce a lot of food in the country.
“In the unlikely event of a no deal hard Brexit, if there is major disruption to trade flows, the kind of foods that may be harder to get are kind of prepackaged foods.
“Those kind of food tray things you buy in Marks and Spencers – those types of products.
“But nobody is going to go hungry.”
He also confirmed that work is ongoing to stockpile medicines – especially generic brands, many of which are made in Britain.
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Government Buildings, 03-01-2019. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews
Last month, the Irish Government decided to prioritise contingency planning for a 'no deal' outcome.
They released a document warning that the UK leaving the EU without a deal would be highly disruptive and would have profound political, economic and legal implications for Ireland.
Work has been intensifying across various departments and state agencies since then, and ministers will today be updated on that work as well as the political situation in Westminster.
It comes as the UK's former Brexit secretary has urged Theresa May to again delay the parliamentary vote on the EU withdrawal agreement.
Amid strong opposition to the deal in Westminster - including from Mrs May's own Conservative party and DUP allies - the British prime minister pulled a planned 'meaningful vote' last month.
The vote's now due to take place in the week beginning January 14th.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph today, David Davis - who resigned as Brexit secretary last July over Mrs May's 'Chequers' proposals - claims the vote should be put off a second time.
He suggests the EU does not want to lose the €43bn 'divorce payment' from the UK, and that a "good deal" will become more likely if the UK does more work to prepare for a no deal exit.
He argues: “The Withdrawal Agreement does not respect the referendum result. That is why the meaningful vote had to be delayed and one wonders if even the January vote will go ahead.
“Attempts to frighten MPs into supporting it are unlikely to work, because voting down this substandard deal will not result in no Brexit.”
