Deputy Charlie McConalogue has described as irresponsible and unhelpful, a decision by the Tánaiste and Jobs Minister Frances Fitzgerald to hold back two Brexit related reports.
Minister Fitzgerald confirmed that she has two reports on her desk – ‘Sectoral implications arising from Brexit: Most exposed sectors’ and ‘Strategic Implications arising from EU-UK Trading Patterns’.
However, she is refusing to publish them.
The Inishowen TD fumed “I am astounded by Minister Fitzgerald’s decision to hold on to these reports. This revelation comes only weeks after it emerged that the Government had supressed a Revenue Commissioners’ report into the potential impact of Brexit on the Border. This is a deeply worrying development and raised serious transparency issues.”
“We are all too aware that counties like Donegal will be disproportionately impacted by Brexit and businesses and farmers should have every source of information available to them to help them Brexit-proof themselves.”
He added these reports have cost the taxpayer €250,000.
“It beggars belief that they are not being published. Brexit is the biggest challenge this country, and the border counties in particular, has faced in decades. We need full disclosure on all business reports being commissioned by the Government to ensure that everyone can be as prepared as possible”, concluded Deputy McConalogue.
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