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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, together.

I had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister May on the margins of the European Council in Brussels on 28 June. We discussed the current political situation in Northern Ireland, whereupon I emphasised the Government's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and we reaffirmed the determination of both Governments to secure effective operation of all its institutions. In line with this, we agreed that a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference would take place in London in July in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement. This was co-chaired by the Tánaiste and the Minister, David Lidington.

We also discussed Brexit and I advised the Prime Minister that there would not be much time left if we were to conclude a withdrawal agreement and have it operational by the time the UK leaves the EU in March. The UK gave clear commitments and guarantees on the Border in December and again in March, and we need to see detailed, workable proposals from the UK to deliver on these commitments if it cannot accept ours. I told the Prime Minister that the EU 27 agreed that if we did not get agreement on the backstop and the other outstanding elements of the withdrawal agreement, including the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, ECJ, it would not be possible to finalise the withdrawal agreement as a whole, including transition arrangements, which are essential for the UK. I have always said that I hope the future relationship between the EU and the UK will be as close and comprehensive as possible and that it will remove any need for a hard border or for the backstop to be invoked. Nonetheless, we will need a legally robust backstop to apply unless and until better arrangements are negotiated and enter into force, thus ensuring there will never be a hard border on this island. While I am confident we will achieve a very close, comprehensive and ambitious future relationship with the UK, the Government is of course continuing to plan for a full range of scenarios. We need to bear in mind that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union and with it the Single Market and the customs union and, therefore, things will change.

I also spoke to the Prime Minister by phone on 7 July, when she briefed me on the outcome of her Chequers Cabinet meeting the day before. I welcomed the fact that the UK Government had reached a position whereby it would put forward detailed proposals for the future UK-EU relationship post Brexit. I expressed my hope that the UK Government would engage constructively with the Barnier task force and other member states. I also said that the Government was open to proposals which meet our aims of avoiding a hard border and maintaining free trade with the UK while respecting the integrity of the Single Market and the customs union.

I will travel to Salzburg tomorrow for the informal meeting of the European Council and I will meet Prime Minister May there over breakfast on Thursday. The Brexit negotiations are now in the final stage and talks will take place continuously from now on. I welcome the commitment from both sets of negotiators to intensify negotiations in the coming weeks. As the Prime Minister and I agreed, our offices have maintained close contact over recent weeks at ambassador and Sherpa level and we and our offices will continue to do so in the period ahead.

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