Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We operate a particular line of communications. As Deputy Howlin knows, Mr. Barnier heads up the Barnier negotiating task force but that is a creature of the Commission. The Barnier task force reports to the Commission and to the President of the Commission. When I speak to an interlocutor, I speak to the President of the Commission, Mr. Juncker as my counterpart in the set up and also to the President of the Council, Mr. Tusk. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, mainly deals with Michel Barnier and his task force, which includes a Sherpa who speaks to our Sherpa. That is the line of communications that exists, with which the Deputy will be familiar.

I spoke to President Juncker twice yesterday; once in the morning to confirm our acceptance of the language and once yesterday evening, after things had gone somewhat pear shaped. In our latter conversation he confirmed his ongoing support for the Irish position and asked that we continue to trust him in the negotiations, which we absolutely do. I know that he has cancelled a planned overseas visit so that the essential EU officials can be available for further talks in Brussels in the coming days. We are at the point now where the UK Government is trying to sort out its own affairs and when it has done so it will come back to Brussels for further negotiations. We will be in daily contact with the task force and with President Juncker.

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