Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a critical in the new scenario we face where the UK voted to leave the EU. Of course enormous issues arise from that, not least the consequences for the common travel area. I spent a good part of today in Enniskillen at a North-South conference on organised crime. I met the Northern Ireland, Minister for Justice, Ms Sugden, MLA, and we discussed in detail the implications of the Brexit vote for North-South relations, for east-west relations and for the common travel area. Both of us are involved in carrying out audits within our Departments of the areas that will be impacted. For example, in Northern Ireland, 18 pieces of legislation on civil and family matters will be impacted by Brexit where the domestic and the international legislation will have to be examined and the need for change identified in detail.

We had a detailed discussion in the meeting with the Secretary of State, Mr. David Davis, MP, on his recent visit here. We looked at the common travel area, police and judicial co-operation, North-South security co-operation, and data sharing and judicial co-operation on civil matters. Given that the relations at a political and policing level have never been as good, North and South, this is a very good basis. Thanks to the work of people from Deputy O'Loughlin's party and my party on the peace process over the years, the relationships are very good. It is a very good foundation for us to deal with these complex issues.

Everybody has made it clear that we want to see the common travel area maintained. We have yet to discuss in detail precisely how that will be done. Of course, we will now be the border for the EU. We will have North-South and east-west discussions as well as, of course, discussions with Ministers from other EU member states. My Department and other Departments have to work through a huge amount of detail. The Taoiseach has established a Brexit committee to deal with this.

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