My Department has built on initial work completed to undertake a full audit of the possible impacts, risks, opportunities and contingencies arising over the longer term as a result of the UK's decision to leave the EU, including in the area of cross-border health co-operation. This work is being conducted by a sub-committee of the Management Board set up to examine the potential consequences of a UK decision to leave the EU on healthcare in Ireland and for Irish citizens. This sub-committee is chaired at senior level and meets regularly, with each division within my Department providing support and analysis. In this way, work on Brexit-related issues is mainstreamed throughout the Department. The work of the Management Board sub-committee feeds into the Senior Officials Group on EU Affairs and the Interdepartmental Group on EU/UK Affairs, which are coordinated centrally by the Department of the Taoiseach.
The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Plenary in July provided an important opportunity for an initial strategic discussion between the Government and the NI Executive on the impact of the recent UK referendum. In order to optimise joint planning and engagement on key issues arising following the UK referendum result, the NSMC agreed to work together to ensure that Northern Ireland's interests are protected and advanced and the benefits of North/South co-operation are fully recognised in any new arrangements which emerge as regards the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the European Union. NSMC ministerial sectorial meetings will provide an important forum for consideration of the strategic and cross-cutting issues arising from the UK referendum. The next NSMC Health and Food Safety ministerial sectorial meeting will take place in Armagh on 9 November 2016. Minister O'Neill and I will continue our consideration of the potential implications of the leave vote for North/South co-operation on the areas for which we have responsibility.
Regular contact with counterparts at political and official level will be maintained and intensified in advance of and throughout the Brexit negotiation process. There will also be continued engagement with parliamentarians throughout these islands through the work of the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association; the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
