Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
522. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of meetings he has had with the Brexit negotiation task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38791/17]
View answer527. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the planned meetings with his European colleagues and officials to address Brexit related issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38871/17]
View answer540. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his meeting with Mr. Michel Barnier in Brussels; the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38953/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 522, 527 and 540 together.
Since taking up office, engagement on Brexit with EU partners has been a central element of my work. This approach has yielded clear results in ensuring that Ireland’s unique issues and concerns have been fully understood by our EU 27 partners and have been reflected in the EU’s negotiating position. As the negotiations enter an important phase over the coming weeks and months, continuing such engagement with EU partners, both at political and official level, will remain a key priority.
On Monday 4 September, I met with Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Negotiator on Brexit, and his team, our second meeting since my appointment. It was a constructive meeting in which we discussed the evolution of the negotiations. I welcomed the progress that has been made in the areas of citizens’ rights and a range of technical separation issues. However, it is clear that there are still many issues outstanding and much work is still required ahead of any decision by the European Council on whether sufficient progress has been made. In this regard, Mr Barnier and I agreed on the need for the UK to engage constructively on all of the withdrawal issues, including the financial settlement, which, not unexpectedly, has been the most contentious issue in the negotiations so far.
During our discussion, I also thanked Mr. Barnier for pursuing Ireland’s unique interests in the Brexit negotiations and for the high level of engagement that Ireland enjoys with his team. We agreed that, while good progress was made in the last round of negotiations on the Common Travel Area, more detailed work is required on protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and the peace process, including in regard to North South cooperation and to avoiding a hard border, as well as other issues such as protecting the EU rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland. Overall, I welcomed the indications that EU and UK objectives on the Irish issues are converging but noted that the UK needs to back this up with tangible commitments that can pave the way for practical solutions. During the meeting, Mr Barnier confirmed that the Taskforce would publish a paper on “Guiding Principles for the Dialogue on Ireland/Northern Ireland” , building on the European Council Guidelines agreed earlier this year.
I welcome that the paper, which was subsequently published on 7 September, reflects the priority Irish issues identified by the Government: protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, and the peace process, including avoiding a hard border, and maintaining the Common Travel Area. The paper also sets out a number of principles that will guide the ongoing dialogue on Ireland and Northern Ireland. I and my officials will continue to work closely with Mr Barnier and his team to advance Ireland’s concerns in these negotiations.
During my visit to Brussels last week I also met with MEPs from across the political spectrum within the European Parliament, including with Guy Verhofstadt, the Parliament's Coordinator on Brexit, and with Irish MEPs. This provided a valuable opportunity to engage with them at the beginning of a new parliamentary term and to update them on Ireland’s perspective on the negotiations. I am glad that Guy Verhofstadt will be visiting Ireland on 21 September, which is a further indication of the priority afforded by the European Parliament to Ireland’s unique concerns within the context of Brexit.
Since my appointment, I have also held bilateral meetings with a number of my EU colleagues, including my Estonian, Luxembourg, French, Slovak, Belgian and Spanish counterparts. I also welcomed the Finnish Foreign Minister to Ireland in July. Over the weekend I met with my counterparts from Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia at the Gymnich/Informal Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.
My officials also continue to meet their counterparts in other Member States, and of course the Permanent Representation in Brussels is also key to this work.
In my meetings with EU partners to date, I have laid particular emphasis on Ireland’s objective of protecting the gains of the peace process and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. I have strongly emphasised the need for an imaginative and flexible political solution. In so doing, I have been equally clear that we will only pursue solutions that are compatible with our aim of protecting the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place in it. I will continue to deliver this message in my engagements in the coming weeks.
