Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There were a number of questions.

Obviously, when the 27 EU Heads of State or Government met in Brussels on 29 June they considered by way of initial reflection the result of the referendum. There was a preliminary discussion on its implications for the European Union, in the short and in the longer term. Indeed, it is true that the outcome has highlighted something of a crisis of confidence, not only in the European Union but in politics throughout the western world.

The Council agreed that the Union needs to reflect on current matters in a way to ensure that new ways are found to connect better with its people, acknowledging some failings, addressing these failings and, ultimately, delivering concrete results. Rather than setting new ambitious goals, it is important that the Union reflects on issues that have already been promised in areas such as the Single Market, investment, security and counter-terrorism. These continue to be the building blocks of long-term prosperity and stability for everybody.

On the matter of the approach of the Government towards the negotiations, it is early days yet. The situation in the UK is such that it is most unlikely that the Article 50 mechanism will come into force soon. It is important that we reflect now on the current position within the United Kingdom and the need to ensure that there is a Government and a Prime Minister, and that will become clear over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, we have prepared as best we can. We have our contingency framework. It maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in the coming weeks and months. Already, the Government has published a summary of its key actions.

I accept the area is challenging. There will be full discussion among the various parties here in the House. I welcome the comments of Deputy Haughey on the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. I assume that committee will have an important role to play in this issue.

The Government will be responding by way of ensuring that our contingency plan will be ready in time for the negotiations.

It is fair to say there will be no negotiations until after the service of the Article 50 notice. We cannot be certain in speculating on when the notice will be served; some people say it will be the autumn and more say it will be early next year. In the meantime, both the Taoiseach and I are engaged bilaterally with our European partners. I have already been speaking to my colleagues, the foreign Ministers of the Netherlands, Germany, France and Britain, in the first instance. I intend to travel to Germany on Friday to meet the German foreign Minister, Mr. Steinmeier, and the Taoiseach has similarly undertaken a number of visits.

With respect to the all-island forum, I had a very constructive meeting last week on behalf of the Government with the Northern Ireland party leaders, including the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It is important that every effort be made in conjunction with the party leaders in Northern Ireland to ensure our priorities are at the heart of the process. Our priorities include the common travel area and the current invisible Border. It is important that every effort be made on behalf of everybody in the House - I acknowledge the leadership role on the part of the Government - to reach out to all parties and stakeholders, beyond the specific arena of politics, to ensure our priorities are well ordered and well negotiated in the months and years that lie ahead.

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