Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 23 together.

The outcome of the vote of 23 June 2016 in the UK will have implications across all aspects of the business of the European Union. While the vote does not give rise to fundamental strategic issues for Defence Forces operations or for Ireland’s continuing engagement within the EU in the Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP, it is expected that Brexit will have an impact on future developments in the defence sphere. The structures put in place in the Department of Defence to address the potential challenges arising from Brexit include the assignment of responsibility to a senior official in respect of Brexit-related matters. The senior official is leading the Department’s input to deliberations within the framework established across Government and is supported in their role by a number of branches in the Department. The senior official represents the Department on the interdepartmental group on EU-UK affairs, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach and which is engaged with the identification of key strategic, operational and policy issues arising from Brexit. In addition, the management board is acting as a clearing house for Brexit and maintains oversight on an ongoing basis.

The UK triggered Article 50 this morning, as the Deputies know, and a meeting of Heads of State and Government is scheduled to take place on 29 April to discuss the UK withdrawal. It is expected that formal negotiations will commence in May or June once the remaining 27 member states reach consensus on the EU's negotiating position. The negotiations themselves can then be expected to take at least two years to complete and all potential consequences in the defence sphere, arising during the negotiations, will remain the subject of ongoing consideration by my Department throughout this process.

As the Deputies will also be aware, the Government has adopted a contingency framework to deal with all issues arising in respect of the UK vote to leave the EU. Accordingly, any issues arising, including those within the defence area, whether bilateral or in respect of developments in the CSDP, or regarding our wider international multilateral defence engagements, will be also addressed within that framework.

While the nature of the Border will be decided during the course of the negotiations, it is the Government’s stated goal to try to ensure that the current on-island Border arrangements are maintained to the greatest extent possible.

I wish to reassure the House that my Department will be prepared to address any potential issues arising in the defence area on foot of Brexit and the negotiations process to shortly get under way.

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