Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2017
356. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he remains assured that all other EU member states continue to support Ireland's position in negotiations on Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25997/17]
View answerOver the course of the past eleven months since the referendum in the UK, I – along with my Government colleagues – have been engaged in an extensive programme of engagement with our EU partners on Brexit. There have been over 400 such engagements with the 27 EU Member States and the EU Institutions, which has included most recently the visit of the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, to Ireland. This programme of engagement has been led by the Taoiseach, as well as my colleagues from across Government, complemented by official level meetings. For my part, I have had nearly 100 engagements with my EU counterparts and with the EU institutions.
A central goal of this engagement has been to ensure Ireland’s unique concerns in relation to Brexit are understood by our EU partners and to seek explicit recognition of these issues and priorities in the EU’s position for the withdrawal negotiations.
This extensive political, diplomatic and official campaign has delivered for Ireland. This was reflected most recently in the clear statement of support given by Michel Barnier when he said during his address to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas that Ireland’s interests in the upcoming negotiations will be the EU’s interests. This has been demonstrated in practice through the strong acknowledgement of Ireland’s concerns and priorities in the European Council Guidelines, the detailed negotiating Directives and the European Parliament’s resolution on Brexit.
The EU Guidelines adopted by the Taoiseach and his counterparts on 29 April fully take account of the Government’s priority of protecting the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process, including the need for flexible and imaginative solutions to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland as well as recognising bilateral agreements and arrangements between Ireland and the UK, including the Common Travel Area.
The EU’s negotiating directives, which were agreed by the General Affairs Council on 22 May are fully in line with the EU Guidelines and additionally reflect the need to take full account of the situation of Irish citizens residing in Northern Ireland who will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens. They also recognise the need to address issues arising from Ireland’s unique geographic situation, including the transit of goods to and from Ireland via the UK.
I have been struck by the very genuine level of engagement and understanding demonstrated by our EU partners with regard to the significant political challenges that Brexit poses to Ireland and in particular the peace process. Finding solutions will be a difficult exercise, but my engagement with EU partners has left me fully confident that we can count on their support as we seek the right outcome for Ireland at the end of what will be complex negotiations.
