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Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 May 2018

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Ceisteanna (25, 29, 30)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

25. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when he last spoke to the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May. [22244/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

29. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagement with the British Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May on 17 May 2018. [22695/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

30. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the British Prime Minister in Sofia. [22705/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 29 and 30 together.

I met with Prime Minister May on the margins of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 17 May.

We discussed current developments in relation to Brexit and the ongoing efforts to assist the parties in Northern Ireland to re-establish the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement.

Prime Minister May told me that she expects to table a new proposal on the future customs relationship between the European Union and the UK shortly.

I have yet to see the exact detail of any such proposal. I indicated that any move on customs that keeps the UK close to the EU is to be welcomed.

I indicated that we're willing to examine the UK proposal, but we need to see it presented as a formal written proposal in the Brexit negotiations process.

I also emphasised to the Prime Minister that upholding the commitment to avoid a hard border requires progress on more than just customs.

The agreed report from December makes clear that continued alignment on both single market and customs rules is necessary. In many ways, the regulatory issues are even more important than customs here.

More generally, I made clear to the Prime Minister that Ireland would continue to insist on a legally operable backstop being in the Withdrawal Agreement. This would be in line with the commitments made by the UK in December and repeated by the Prime Minister in her letter to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, in March.

We now need to see concrete progress on the delivery of these commitments by the time of the June European Council.

I have been consistent in my message to both Prime Minister May and my fellow EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council that reintroduction of a border on the island of Ireland is not acceptable under any circumstances.

Questions Nos. 26 to 28, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 29 and 30 answered with Question No. 25.
Questions Nos. 31 to 42, inclusive, resubmitted.
Questions Nos. 43 to 52, inclusive, answered orally.
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