Key agencies department leading Brexit preparations fill just 17 of 70 positions

Jobs Minister Frances Fitzgerald’s failure to fill Brexit roles, with just one in four recruited, has been criticised as firms face an “existential crisis” with Britain’s EU exit on the horizon.

Key agencies and the department leading preparations for Brexit have filled just 17 of 70 positions, where staff will assist firms and employers preparing for possible tariffs or trade barriers.

Ms Fitzgerald confirmed Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, among other agencies, had failed to fill roles — despite getting millions of euro extra to recruit staff to work on Brexit.