Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to give an update in this area. The Government is determined to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts is fully protected and respected in the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government has a responsibility to protect the agreement and the gains of the peace process.

The Government’s programme of engagement with EU partners over the past 18 months and more has ensured that Ireland’s unique issues and concerns have been fully understood by the EU 27 and have been reflected in the EU negotiating guidelines and directives for the Article 50 process. The guiding principles on Ireland and Northern Ireland were published by the European Commission Article 50 task force in September and form the basis for the EU’s engagement with the UK on the shared objectives of protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and protecting the gains of the peace process.

The negotiations over recent months saw a good political understanding develop on all sides involved in the negotiations of what is required to achieve this objective, which is shared between Ireland, the EU and the UK. In the joint report of the EU and UK negotiators on 8 December, the UK reiterated its commitment to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, including the effective operation of the institutions and bodies of the agreement. The joint report reaffirmed that North-South co-operation is a central part of the Good Friday Agreement and the UK committed to protecting and supporting continued North-South and east-west co-operation across the full range of frameworks of co-operation, including the operation of the North-South bodies.The EU and UK also recognised the birthright of all of the people of Northern Ireland to choose between Irish or British citizenship or to have both and that the people of Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens, including when they reside in Northern Ireland. That is complicated and I note the Deputy has raised some issues in this regard previously, including questions on court jurisdictions and so on. We will have to try to work through those issues.

In regard to the Good Friday Agreement provisions on fundamental rights and equality, the UK committed in the joint report to ensuring that no diminution of rights is caused by its departure from the EU, including in the area of protection against discrimination enshrined in EU law.

In regard to peace funding linked to the Agreement, there is also a commitment to continue that into the future.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

In addition, the EU and UK also both committed to honour their commitments to PEACE and INTERREG funding under the current multi-annual financial framework and to examine favourably possibilities for future support.

The phase 2 discussions on the Ireland-specific issues will continue in a distinct strand of the Article 50 negotiations on the detailed arrangements required. The Government will continue to pursue an outcome to the Article 50 process that protects our headline priorities and Ireland’s fundamental interests, including to ensure protection of and respect for the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts.

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