Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said in the House last week during the important discussion on the implications of the outcome of the UK referendum, I believe there is a collective determination across the Government and Opposition benches to meet the challenges and uncertainties of the period ahead. Our work together over the next months and years must serve Irish national interests as we construct a new environment in which to maintain the strongest possible relations with our EU partners and with the United Kingdom, not least in so far as our trading relationships are concerned. There will be no greater priority for Government than the effective handling of the process following the UK electorate's vote to exit from the European Union.

As to the shape of the negotiations at EU level, both in terms of withdrawal and the UK's future relationship with the EU, this was a matter of some discussion at last week's European Council in Brussels which the Taoiseach attended. In his post-European Council statement to the House today, the Taoiseach made two important points very clear: Article 50 provides a legal framework for the withdrawal negotiations, and the European Council, that is, the EU Heads of State and Government, will direct the process. We await further clarification on this from the British side when the new Prime Minister is in place. The new UK Prime Minister will also have to clarify what kind of future relationship it intends to seek with the EU. The Irish people expect nothing less than a comprehensive, proactive, constructive and calm response to the challenges presented by these circumstances. As a Government, we will use every resource available to us.

The North-South dimension is also critical. At the plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council yesterday, the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive had a detailed discussion on the potential impact of the UK referendum result to leave the EU. To optimise joint planning and engagement on key issues arising following the referendum result, we agreed to take actions in a number of priority areas.

While we continue to rely heavily on a number of traditional markets, Ireland has been working to deepen its market penetration and its market diversification. For example, while growing in volume terms, the percentage of UK exports as a percentage of total global exports has declined over the period 2005 to 2015. This reflects Enterprise Ireland's strategy of supporting clients to win more business in the UK while at the same time diversifying the overall export base through targeting other existing markets and the emerging high growth markets.

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