Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
154. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied that trade between Ireland and both Northern Ireland and the island of Britain will continue unimpeded after Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48272/18]
View answer159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he remains satisfied that the recently announced draft Brexit agreement will stabilise the European Union while safeguarding the interests of the island of Ireland, North and South, and its relationship with the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48358/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 159 together.
Last week agreement was reached between EU and UK negotiators on the text of the Withdrawal Agreement. On 14 November, Prime Minister May and her cabinet indicated that, for the British Government, the draft text of the Withdrawal Agreement is an acceptable basis on which to proceed.
This is a very significant and welcome breakthrough in the Brexit process.
EU and UK negotiators have worked intensively, with great commitment and professionalism over a long period to achieve this.
There is no ‘good’ Brexit for Ireland. We deeply regret the UK’s decision to leave, however much we respect that decision. For us, the objective with Brexit has always been to minimise the damage and to lay the best possible groundwork for the future.
Even in the best possible agreement, it is still the case that the UK is leaving the EU, and that will bring change. However it was and continues to be absolutely necessary that any change that did occur would not result in a hard border on the island of Ireland.
This Withdrawal Agreement does that. It also underpins, in a dynamic way, continuing North/South cooperation and the all-island economy.
It provides for the maintenance of the Common Travel Area, ensuring that the arrangements by which Irish and British citizens can live, work and access services in each other’s countries, will continue into the future.
It confirms that people in the North will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens.
It provides for a period of transition in which all of us can prepare for the new relationship between the EU and the UK, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
In addition, the Single Electricity Market will be maintained on the island of Ireland and North South cooperation will continue in a range of important areas.
While this is an important achievement, there is still considerable work to be done.
President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has called an extraordinary European Council Summit for 25 November so that the Agreement can be finalised and formalized.
It will then be for Westminster and the European Parliament to consider the agreement according to their respective procedures.
None of this can be taken for granted.
This is an important step, but only a step on a much longer journey. It is important for us to secure the deepest and most comprehensive relationship possible with the UK following its withdrawal from the EU. It is only through that relationship that we can secure the trade and other interests that are important to Ireland, the UK and our EU partners. We are absolutely committed to working closely with the UK, and our EU partners, to achieve that end.
