Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
36. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether the United Kingdom will honour its withdrawal agreement with the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18489/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the EU and the UK is a binding international agreement. The UK Government has made clear its intention to comply with its legal obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement, including through providing for its implementation in UK domestic legislation.
Implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, is a key priority for the EU, as well as for Ireland, and the negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship are premised on the full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement.
Over recent weeks, I have had contacts with EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier, as well as with UK counterparts, covering matters arising from the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Protocol. I have stressed the importance of ensuring their full implementation, as agreed.
The Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland ensures that we will avoid a hard border on this island, that the gains of the Good Friday Agreement are protected and the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland's place in it are safeguarded. Mr Barnier has been clear that the EU will continue to monitor their implementation closely.
Both the Joint Committee for the Withdrawal Agreement, and the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, have now met twice. The Committees have considered the important work of implementing the Agreement, including in relation to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. The next meetings for both committees are expected in the autumn. We look forward to further accelerated progress on implementation and to continued intensive technical engagement between the UK and the EU on the key issues. In my engagements with UK counterparts I have stressed that time is short and it is critical now to move forward to fully operationalising the Protocol.
The European Commission set out clearly and in detail the requirements for implementation of the Protocol, in its Technical Note published on 30 April. On 20 May, the UK Government published a Command Paper setting out its approach to implementation.
