Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together.

I met First Minister Arlene Foster at the Remembrance Sunday events in Enniskillen on 13 November and met her again in Government Buildings on 15 November and at the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, in Armagh on 18 November. At the meeting in Government Buildings, the First Minister and I had a business-like discussion about how we could work together to handle the very many issues that Brexit will create for both jurisdictions. On Friday, 18 November, I attended the 23rd plenary meeting of the NSMC in Armagh. Prior to the plenary meeting, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and I had a short bilateral with the First Minister and the deputy First Minister.

At the plenary meeting, the NSMC had a comprehensive discussion on the implications of Brexit for both jurisdictions. It is clear form the meeting that there is a lot of common ground between the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on areas like trade and the economy, the peace process and the common travel area. We agreed that a number of senior officials from the Executive office of Northern Ireland, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will meet regularly to review developments, serving as a high level working group on Brexit issues.

We agreed a set of common principles to guide our further work in this area. The meeting also discussed the overall economic picture North and South, including business, trade and employment, a report on infrastructure commitments in the Fresh Start agreement, the north-west gateway initiative and the joint North-South bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. We agreed to continue our discussions through the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, and bilaterally as required. The Government is committed to progressing our work to ensure the best possible outcome for Ireland and Northern Ireland from the future Brexit negotiations. The council also agreed that the next NSMC plenary meeting would be brought forward and held in the first quarter of 2017.

The Government has established the all-island civic dialogue as an important element in its preparations to meet the broad range of challenges posed by Brexit. In particular, the dialogue provides a forum for civic society groups from both parts of the island to participate in a highly consultative process along with political representatives from across the political spectrum. As indicated at the end of the initial civic dialogue event on 2 November at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, a series of civic dialogue events on a sectoral basis are to take place.

I stated in the House on 8 November that I have no objection in principle to having regular sessions on Brexit-related issues subject to the agreement of the House Business Committee which is responsible for the scheduling of Dáil business. The Deputy should raise this issue in the first instance with the committee for further discussion. In any event, I will continue to update Members of the House on Brexit-related issues through a wide range of methods, including weekly responses to parliamentary questions and to Leaders' Questions, regular briefings for party leaders, statements to the House before and after European Council meetings and statements to the House as required. If Members feel there is a need for a weekly ten to 15 minute session and the Business Committee recommends it, I will not object.

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