Engagement with our EU partners as well as with the EU Institutions is and will continue to be an essential pillar of the Government’s efforts in response to the result of the UK referendum on EU membership.
The foundations of our outreach work with EU partners were laid far in advance of the June referendum, where every opportunity was availed of to sensitise interlocutors, both at political and senior official level, to the unique and particular priorities that we have with regard to Brexit. These are well-known to the Deputy and to this House and include: protecting and promoting our interests with regard to the continued success of the peace process, including stability within Northern Ireland and a strong North/South relationship; the Common Travel Area as it applies both North/South and East-West; and the health of our economy, above all in relation to trade.
Since the referendum, the Taoiseach has had discussions with Prime Minister May, President Hollande, Chancellor Merkel, President Tusk, President Juncker and other EU leaders, most recently at the European Council in Brussels on 20-21 October. For my own part, I spoke with each and every one of my EU counterparts in the period after the referendum and have recently begun a second round of consultations with Foreign Minister colleagues. I look forward to several more such meetings before the end of the year. The recent visit to Dublin by the European Commission’s lead Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, who met with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Minister of State Murphy and myself, provided another highly useful opportunity to explain Irish priorities in the forthcoming negotiations.
At diplomatic and official level, Brexit has been a central topic in all meetings with EU counterparts. Over the next few weeks, a number of specific Brexit-related meetings will take place, both in Dublin and in other capitals, with other member States and the EU Institutions. Setting out our concerns and objectives on Brexit to other Governments, and reporting on their reactions and their overall views on Brexit, is naturally of the highest priority for our Embassies in all 27 other Member States, and of course for the Permanent Representation in Brussels. Senior officials in my Department have also had the opportunity on a number of occasions to brief all EU Member State Embassies here.
The reactions of all partners have been uniformly understanding and supportive. As the negotiations approach and as the issues are fleshed out in discussions with the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as through discussions with stakeholders, in particular the Civic Dialogue, we will ensure that every Member State is fully aware of our approach.
Finally, it is important that Ireland's unique circumstances and concerns are as widely understood as possible. To date I have published opinion pieces in over 30 major newspapers around the European Union to enhance awareness of Ireland's concerns.
