Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Engagement with Mr. Barry Andrews, MEP

Photo of Seán HaugheySeán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Andrews for joining us and for the work he has been doing with the other MEPs on the trade and co-operation agreement and the Northern Ireland protocol. They have all been wearing the green jersey. That is apparent and we appreciate that here. The implementation of the trade and co-operation agreement is going to be complex. Mr. Andrews' submission states:

No less than 19 technical committees will oversee implementation of the [trade and co-operation agreement], under the auspices of the Joint Partnership Council. A Trade Partnership Committee will govern the work of ten trade-specialised committees. There are a further eight non-trade specialised committees.

Mr. Andrews will have his work cut out for him and from what he is saying, we have our work cut out for us as a committee as well. I support his call for new structures between Northern Ireland and the European Parliament and I note what he has said about that already.

I will go back to the Conference on the Future of Europe, which was mentioned in Mr. Andrews' statement. Deputy Calleary asked about it there and I also read Mr. Andrews' piece about it in The Irish Times on Monday. I note his disappointment that the Government has already said it does not favour treaty change but that is not an issue for today. I refer to the position of Northern Ireland as regards the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Both Mr. Andrews and the Government have stated the citizens of Northern Ireland should be facilitated in engaging in this process because they are affected by the rules of the European Union. He also mentioned the Government's plans and the website to be launched at the weekend. How does he believe Northern Ireland citizens can engage in the Conference on the Future of Europe? Is it just a question of dealing with the existing plans in place or is there any other way they could engage?

During the debate on the trade and co-operation agreement, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, seemed to strike a strident tone. She said a faithful implementation was essential. It does not look like there is much trust between the European Commission and the UK. How does Mr. Andrews feel that is going? We seem to have better relations between the partners discussing the Northern Ireland protocol. Generally speaking, as far as the European Parliament and the Commission are concerned, is there bad faith between the parties? How is the trust issue going? Was the European Commission President's line too strident and not necessarily helpful to smooth the waters to get all these issues dealt with?

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