Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 20, inclusive, together.

I met the Spanish Prime Minister, Mr. Mariano Rajoy, in Madrid on 12 January. Our meeting was extremely warm and constructive. The discussion focussed on EU-UK relations in light of Brexit and its implications for Ireland, Spain and the European Union more generally. My visit to Madrid was part of the Government’s programme of intensified strategic engagement with our European partners in advance of the commencement of negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. I took the opportunity to explain our particular concerns to the Spanish Prime Minister, including regarding our economy and trade, Northern Ireland, North-South relations, the common travel area and the future of the EU itself. The Spanish Prime Minister fully acknowledged these concerns and I was pleased to have his assurance that we share the objective of constructive negotiations towards a close future relationship between the EU and the UK.

I also discussed other key issues on the European agenda with Spanish Prime Minister, who was joined by his foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis, including migration, security, counter-terrorism, international trade and the European economy. We agreed that we should focus on delivering concrete initiatives in the Single Market and digital single market to boost jobs and growth. We also discussed the excellent Spanish-Irish bilateral relations, including trade and investment, tourism and police co-operation in the fight against organised crime. We reviewed the political and economic situations in our respective countries, noting, in particular, our economic growth figures and consequent falls in unemployment, which in both cases are moving in the right direction.

The Spanish Prime Minister also looked specifically at the question of Spanish receiving increased priority on the Irish educational curriculum.

We agreed to stay in close contact and to continue to work closely together over the coming period.

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