Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to address the Houses today in the presence of Michel Barnier. Thank you for your fine contribution, Michel.

I thank him for his statement in which he outlined the complexities of the Brexit negotiations and for his acknowledgement of their importance for Europe and of course for Ireland.

Michel Barnier is a longstanding friend of this country, not just as a leading French politician and Minister, but also as a European Commissioner. Indeed, his time as Commissioner for Regional Policy gave him a particular insight into the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, which will be central to the talks ahead.

I also want to thank him sincerely for his willingness to engage with Ireland since his appointment as head of the Commission Brexit task force last July. This is his second visit to Dublin since that appointment but we have also met on other occasions, including on my visits to Brussels in February and March, and at the European Council.

Michel and his colleagues in the Brexit task force have been more than co-operative and accessible to our Ministers and our senior officials. I know that he has also been open to a range of other important stakeholders from Ireland. I thank him for this engagement. The challenges for this country arising from Brexit are extremely serious; and it is essential that all those affected have the opportunity to make their voices heard.

This has also been the approach of the Government here. Along with ongoing sectoral analysis across Departments, we have engaged widely with industry and civic society, holding almost 280 separate meetings. The all-island civic dialogue, which I convened with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, has included 16 sectoral events and two plenary meetings, with more than 1,200 delegates representing industries and organisations from across the country. This kind of consultation has informed our positions on the negotiations, and enabled us to publish our thinking in a comprehensive Government document last week.

Events have moved on quickly since Prime Minister May formally notified the European Union of the UK's intention to leave. The European Council agreed the EU negotiating guidelines on 29 April and on 3 May, the European Commission proposed its draft negotiating directives, which build on the guidelines and provide more detail on the issues to be addressed.

The extensive preparation by member states, the EU institutions and Mr. Barnier's task force meant that the guidelines were agreed very quickly. This was by no means a given. We know just how complicated and serious the issues are for Europe as a whole and particularly for Ireland.

For over two years, the Government has been analysing the issues and engaging with sectors across this island to identify our main areas of concern and to develop our priorities. Some of these have been referred to here by Michel Barnier. These are the protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process, including by avoiding a hard Border; to retain the common travel area; to minimise the impact on our economy and to work for a positive future for the European Union.

We have also been extremely active at political and official level in engaging with our EU partners and the EU institutions, with a view to highlighting and explaining the significant implications for Ireland arising from Brexit, and the need to take account of our particular concerns in the negotiations ahead. Indeed, since the UK referendum last June, we have had over 400 engagements on Brexit with our EU partners.

In all these meetings, we have explained the background and context of the Northern Ireland peace process and emphasised the need to avoid the re-imposition of a hard Border on the island of Ireland. As I have stated previously, this is a political challenge and we will have to be both flexible and imaginative to deal with it.

Thanks to this strategic and patient work, and the understanding and support of our European partners, I am pleased that Ireland's specific concerns - Mr. Barnier has mentioned this specifically - and the unique circumstances that apply here are fully acknowledged in these guidelines. Supporting and protecting the achievements, the benefits and commitments of the peace process; avoiding a hard Border; and protecting the common travel area will now be addressed as part of the withdrawal negotiations. The guidelines provide an excellent basis for the negotiations. It was crucial that we got this right from the start and again, I would like to thank Mr. Barnier for his role in making that happen.

In more general terms, we are pleased with the tone of the guidelines which is open and constructive, while nevertheless clearly and firmly outlining the EU's objectives and principles. They highlight the importance of getting clarity in respect of EU citizens' rights, a key issue across member states and important in terms of providing certainty for people and for families.

The approach to the sensitive question of the United Kingdom's financial liabilities is also welcome. It is only reasonable that the United Kingdom be asked to honour the commitments it entered into as a member state of the European Union. Mr. Barnier's approach to this is sensible, to focus first on the principles and methodology before considering the numbers or the structure of payments that might be involved.

Importantly from our perspective, the guidelines acknowledge the need for transitional arrangements. This will be crucial in order to provide a level of continuity and certainty for our citizens and businesses. As Ireland stands to be more affected than any other member state by the departure of the UK, we believe it is necessary to begin work as soon as possible - and I am glad you referred to this - on scoping out the future EU-UK relationship. I am pleased therefore that the guidelines acknowledge that the shape of the future relationship can be considered once the European Council, that is, the Heads of State and Government of the 27 member states, agrees that "sufficient progress" has been made on the withdrawal issues. This phased approach is also a sensible and pragmatic way forward.

From Ireland's perspective, our objective is for a close and positive future relationship with the UK, and we are pleased therefore that the guidelines indicate the EU wants an ambitious agreement, not just in economic terms but also in areas such as security. We will continue to work with partners to achieve such an outcome.

Consequently, I welcome the European Council guidelines from a substantive perspective and that their principles and approach have been carried forward into the draft negotiating directives. I appreciate the thorough preparatory work carried out by Mr. Barnier and his task force, as well as the European Council team and other EU partners, whose willingness to listen to us, to listen to our story and to acknowledge our unique and special circumstances has brought us to this point. The outcome is an endorsement of the approach by Government and a clear recognition of the specific challenges we face.

The Government has robustly defended the Good Friday Agreement process throughout these negotiations so far, making clear that, as a legally-binding, international treaty, it provides a unique political and constitutional framework on the island of Ireland. We know that it was vital to provide reassurance that Brexit does not in any way undermine any provision of the Good Friday Agreement.

In that context, we secured an acknowledgement that, in the event of change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, brought about in accordance with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent, the entire territory of such a united Ireland would be part of the EU. I have been consistent in my view that now is not the time to have such a referendum on Irish unity and that the conditions set out in the Good Friday Agreement for the calling of a Border poll do not currently exist. However, the statement agreed by the Heads of State and Government of the 27 EU member states, which will be recorded in the minutes of the European Council, was hugely important in order to dispel any doubt or uncertainty that the UK exit from the EU would negatively impact on this crucial constitutional provision of the Good Friday Agreement.

With the EU guidelines now adopted, including the language about our unique concerns, the Government last week published a comprehensive document which reflects the findings of our extensive preparatory work and consultations on the island of Ireland and at EU level, and outlines the positions and priorities that will underpin our engagement in the Brexit process over the next two years. At EU level, the more detailed draft negotiating directives are now being discussed at ministerial and official level with a view to agreement at the General Affairs Council on 22 May. These are again broadly positive from Ireland’s point of view. Mr. Barnier and his team have shown that, in addition to being open to meet with us, they are also listening very closely to what we have to say, which is why I welcome the Ceann Comhairle's decision today. This is vitally important if the negotiations are to proceed in a calm and ordered way, and end up at a point which is as good as possible for all sides.

As I said in my statement to the Dáil on Tuesday, it became very clear at an early stage of our analysis that the economic impacts of Brexit would be severe. With the EU guidelines now adopted and work under way on the directives, the Government will intensify its focus on the economic implications of Brexit, including on domestic policy measures to protect it from the potential negative impacts of Brexit, to reinforce the competitiveness of the Irish economy, which is so important, and also to pursue all opportunities that might arise. In this context, I should also mention Ireland will bid, along with other countries, for the two EU bodies currently located in London - the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority. I believe that Ireland offers an excellent opportunity as a location for these.

As I have said before, and in conclusion, Brexit is a British policy. It is not an Irish policy and it is not an EU policy. For its part, Ireland remains committed clearly to the European Union and its future. Indeed, a poll published on Europe Day this week showed that 88% of Irish people agree that Ireland should remain a member of the European Union. Participation and membership have transformed our country, as Mr. Barnier is well aware, over the last 40 years. We are committed to playing a strong and active role as a member of the EU 27. We are well prepared and will continue to ensure that our concerns and priorities are reflected in the European Union negotiating position as it evolves, and that we work closely with our EU partners, the EU institutions and Mr. Barnier and his task force, towards a strong and constructive future relationship with the United Kingdom.

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