Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive, together.

The Government wants to ensure all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement are provided for in any new arrangement between the EU and the UK. This includes the principle of consent and the possibility of a change in constitutional status in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement and its successor agreements contain a very clear measure to the effect that people North and South of the Border may under certain conditions have the opportunity of voting by referendum on a united Ireland. As Taoiseach, I have made it clear that the Government is mindful of the need to ensure the future option of a Border poll, as part of the totality of the Good Friday Agreement, is upheld.

The Cabinet Committee on Brexit has met on a number of occasions, most recently on 24 November last, to continue the overall co-ordination of this country's preparations for the negotiations on Brexit which will take place as soon as the British Government submits its Article 50 notification.  The committee is also considering the potential impact of Brexit for Ireland, as well as any economic opportunities that may arise.  Separately, a special Government meeting was held on 16 November last to consider Brexit issues and, in particular, to prepare for an important plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Armagh on 18 November.

The Government has considered Brexit issues regularly since the UK referendum, including on foot of ten separate memorandums for Government. I am ensuring a whole-of-Government response to Brexit is being developed, including through the Brexit Cabinet committee I established following the referendum result. I chair the Cabinet committee, which involves all Ministers as required. The issues involved concern all Ministers, Departments and agencies and require a consistent and comprehensive whole-of-Government response. As I have told Deputies previously, I have restructured my Department to ensure Brexit is treated as a crucial cross-cutting issue, including by creating a newly amalgamated international, EU and Northern Ireland division under a new second Secretary General. The work of this division includes supporting the Cabinet committees on Brexit and on European affairs.

Work on Brexit is supported by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and his Department, both of which now have a greater role in EU matters overall. The newly created EU division in the Department and the existing division in the Department dealing with Anglo-Irish affairs both have important roles to play. Relevant Departments, agencies and overseas missions across the Government are being strengthened to deal with Brexit. There is ongoing interaction on EU issues on a daily basis between the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade. Under the restructuring I announced in July, a second Secretary General has been appointed to lead a new integrated division in the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility for supporting me on EU, Northern Ireland, British-Irish and international affairs, including through the Cabinet committees on European affairs and on Brexit.

A second Secretary General has been appointed to lead a new EU division in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This Department, working closely with my Department, has lead responsibility for the general co-ordination of EU affairs. The two second Secretaries General and their respective teams engage closely on an ongoing basis to ensure a comprehensive whole-of-Government approach to EU affairs is provided. In addition to the regular engagement between the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade, there is ongoing interaction across all Departments on the range of EU issues, including through regular meetings of the senior officials group on the EU and the interdepartmental group on Brexit. As Members will be aware, the European Council is meeting in Brussels this week.

See this speech in context