Michael Moynihan
Question:61. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the fourth civic forum that was held in Dundalk on 30 April 2018. [18796/18]
View answerTuesday, 15 May 2018
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The fourth plenary session of the All-Island Civic Dialogue took place on Monday 30 April, 2018, in Dundalk Institute of Technology. Over 400 representatives across industry and civic society attended the plenary session and were provided with updates on the main developments in the Brexit negotiations, with an emphasis on the all-island aspects as well as the Government’s preparations for Brexit.
Discussions during the day focused on how both businesses and communities can continue preparations for Brexit. A key focus of this plenary centred on how young people can respond to the challenges posed by the UK exit from the European Union, and it was encouraging to hear how well the views of young people across the island of Ireland were represented throughout the day. I was also particularly delighted to welcome Michel Barnier, Chief Negotiator on the EU’s Brexit task force, who addressed delegates in Dundalk.
This meeting of the Civic Dialogue followed three previous successful plenary sessions, the first of which took place in November 2016, and the following two in February and September of last year. There have also been a large number of sectoral dialogues in locations across the country, which have discussed the impact of Brexit on specific areas including Agrifood, Transport, Energy, Tourism and Hospitality, and Education.
The All-Island Civic Dialogue forms a core element of our stakeholder engagement on Brexit. It is an ongoing process, and one that I hope the public will continue to engage with as the Brexit negotiations continue.
As with previous Dialogues, a full report of the fourth plenary session will shortly be published online. The government hopes to convene a further plenary session of the All Island Civic Dialogue later in the year. In the meantime, we will continue to engage with all stakeholders and with civic society to ensure that our approach to Brexit continues to meet the needs of the Irish people.