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Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 July 2018

Wednesday, 11 July 2018

Questions (35, 36)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

35. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with the British Prime Minister or British officials on matters related to Northern Ireland. [28835/18]

View answer

Michael Moynihan

Question:

36. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, recently or at European Council bilateral meetings on reconvening the Northern Ireland Assembly. [30456/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 36 together.

I had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister May on the margins of the EU Council in Brussels on June 28.

We discussed the current political situation in Northern Ireland where I emphasised my Government’s full commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and we re-affirmed the determination of both Governments to secure the effective operation of all its institutions.

In line with this, we agreed that a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference will take place in London on 25 July in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement and which will be co-chaired by the Tánaiste and Minister David Lidington.

We also discussed Brexit and I told Prime Minister May very clearly that there is not much time left if we are to conclude a Withdrawal Agreement and have it operational by the time the UK leaves.

The UK gave clear commitments and guarantees in December and again in March in relation to the border on the island of Ireland, and we need to see detailed, workable proposals from them to deliver on these commitments.

I told the Prime Minister that the EU27 agreed that, if we don’t get agreement on a backstop or on the other outstanding elements, it won’t be possible to finalise the Withdrawal Agreement as whole, including the transition arrangements.

I have always said that I hope the future relationship between the EU and the UK will be as close and comprehensive as possible, and that it will remove any need for a hard border.

But it will not, in any way, remove the need for a legally robust backstop to apply unless and until better arrangements enter into force, ensuring that there will never be a hard border on this island, whatever circumstances prevail.

While I am hopeful that we will achieve a very close, comprehensive and ambitious future relationship with the UK, the government is of course continuing to plan for the full range of scenarios.

I also spoke with Prime Minister May by phone on Saturday afternoon when she briefed me on the outcome of her Chequers Cabinet meeting on Friday.

I welcomed the fact that the UK Government had reached a position where it would put forward detailed proposals for the future EU-UK relationship post-Brexit.

I look forward to seeing greater detail on those proposals over the coming days and hope that they would be a helpful input to the negotiation process.

I explained my hope that the UK Government would engage constructively with the Barnier Task Force and the other Member States over the coming weeks.

I also made clear that the Government was open to proposals which meet our aims of avoiding a hard border and maintaining free trade with the UK, while respecting the EU single market and customs union.

The Prime Minister and I agreed that we, and our offices, would maintain close contact in the period ahead.

Questions Nos. 37 to 41, inclusive, resubmitted.
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