Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 12 inclusive. The British-Irish and Northern Ireland affairs section of the amalgamated international, European Union and Northern Ireland division supports the work of the Taoiseach and Government in helping maintain peace and manage relationships on the island of Ireland and between Britain and Ireland, particularly in the context of Brexit. The division deals with all aspects of British-Irish relations, including Northern Ireland affairs and North-South co-operation. It also deals with key policy issues in this context and is responsible for supporting the Taoiseach in co-ordinating a whole-of-government approach to Brexit.

My Department, as with the rest of Government, has operated a highly consultative approach on Brexit to date, during which we have engaged very extensively with stakeholders across all sectors of Irish society. This has included the all-island civic dialogue process that has, to date, held two major plenary sessions in Dublin Castle and 14 sectoral events examining specific policy areas in greater detail. In addition, nearly 300 separate meetings with industry and civic society have been held to deepen our analysis and research. At the civic dialogue events and a range of other events, senior civil servants in this Department have worked to communicate publicly the Government's work on Brexit in terms of the extensive planning undertaken, as well as to map the next stages to the Brexit process. It is envisaged this work will continue both in individual meetings when requested or speaking at events when appropriate.

As I have pointed out, the next stage after concluding last Saturday's meeting is to move to trade and economics, including the issues that will help to underpin the sustainability and stability of Irish firms in a vulnerable position. The public communications work is also supported by the larger Brexit communications work that the Government is undertaking, which is available for people to read at www.merrionstreet.ie/brexit. The Cabinet sub-committee on Brexit last met on 26 April.

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