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Brexit Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

Ceisteanna (136, 139)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

136. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with the European Commission in respect of the current developments on Brexit. [3008/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

139. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken with President Donald Tusk or Mr. Michel Barnier since 21 January 2019 regarding the statement by Prime Minister May in the House of Commons. [3856/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 139 together.

I most recently met with Mr. Michel Barnier on 21 January, in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. We discussed the disappointing but not unexpected outcome of the 15 January vote in the House of Commons on the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. Both Mr Barnier and I are in agreement that what we need from the UK is clarity on how it proposes to move forward, and ultimately what it wants to achieve. The EU could then consider any next steps it might take. The EU continues to take a united approach, and I thanked Mr Barnier for his unwavering support for Ireland.

Mr Barnier and I remain firmly of the view that the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal is to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement as endorsed by the European Council and agreed with the British Government. The European Council in December and the joint letter from Presidents Tusk and Juncker have provided reassurances with regard to the backstop. The European Council has also made clear that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be renegotiated and that the EU will not agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with it. The EU stands ready to work further on the Political Declaration as we look to the future relationship.

I welcomed Mr. Barnier’s statement to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 16 January, in which he publicly reaffirmed his commitment to the backstop and to the Withdrawal Agreement as a whole, which represents the best possible compromise between the European Union and the United Kingdom. In our discussion, Mr. Barnier and I agreed that it is the only agreement on the table that provides the essential legal guarantee to avoid a hard border in any circumstances and protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts.

As Mr Barnier stated in Strasbourg, an orderly Brexit remains our top priority, but we must be prepared for all scenarios. In light of the ongoing uncertainty in Britain, the European Council has asked that preparedness work at the national and EU level intensify, taking account of all possible outcomes. I have outlined Ireland’s approach in this regard to Mr. Barnier, including planned legislation and other contingency measures. I also thanked Mr. Barnier for the Commission’s continued helpful and constructive engagement in this area and their understanding of the particular challenges faced by Ireland.

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