Micheál Martin
Ceist:4. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings in The Hague; the items that were discussed; and the follow-up actions that are being taken. [20402/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 10 May 2017
Ceisteanna (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Michael Moynihan
Ceist:5. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to President Hollande recently. [20410/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Seán Haughey
Ceist:6. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Prime Minister Rutte; and if he agreed with the Government's requests on Brexit negotiations. [20412/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Eamon Ryan
Ceist:7. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with the Danish and Dutch Prime Ministers and the details of any agreements made regarding a common approach to Brexit. [20416/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMicheál Martin
Ceist:8. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey recently; and if the recent referendum result was discussed with other EU leaders when he met them in The Hague. [20721/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together.
I travelled to The Hague on 21 April 2017 for a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, and the Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen. Our discussions were largely focussed on Brexit and we also touched briefly on EU-US relations. We did not discuss the outcome of the Turkish referendum. The meeting took place in the context of the Government's ongoing programme of strategic engagement on Brexit and was the latest in a series of meetings with my EU counterparts. I have also met recently with my counterparts in Germany, Belgium, Poland and Spain, and with the Presidents of the EU institutions and the Head of the Brexit Task Force, who will be in Dublin again tomorrow. I last met bilaterally with President Hollande during his visit to Dublin in July 2016, although I have of course met and spoken informally with him in the margins of the European Council since then. I have not met with President Erdogan in recent times.
The meeting in The Hague provided an opportunity to share our views on the issues arising from Brexit, ahead of the adoption of the EU's negotiating guidelines by the European Council on 29 April. We agreed on the importance of maintaining the EU27 unity which has marked our approach until now.
I also took the opportunity at the meeting, as I do in all my bilateral engagements, to explain in some detail our unique concerns arising from Brexit, including protecting the Peace Process, avoiding a hard border, and maintaining the common travel area with the UK. I outlined the particular implications for Ireland, North and South, and also described recent political developments in Northern Ireland. I am pleased that Ireland's unique concerns have been fully reflected in the guidelines, which outline the EU approach for the withdrawal negotiations.
Questions Nos. 9 and 10 resubmitted.