Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 25 together.

The Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland operates in accordance with established guidelines for Cabinet committees and, where appropriate, substantive issues are referred to Government for discussion and approval.

The Cabinet committee oversees implementation of relevant programme for Government commitments in the area of Brexit and Northern Ireland and ongoing relevant developments. The committee was formally established by the Government on 6 July 2020 and had its first meeting on 29 October 2020. The Cabinet committee last met on 27 June 2022. A date for the next meeting remains under review.

In addition to meetings of the Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland, relevant matters are also discussed at meetings of the full Cabinet. Further, yesterday I travelled to Belfast for a programme of engagement with the leaders of the five main political parties in Northern Ireland in advance of the 28 October deadline for the nomination of the First and deputy First Minister and the formation of the Executive. I had separate discussions with the deputy leader of Sinn Féin, Michelle O'Neill, the leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the Alliance Party, Naomi Long, the leader of the UUP, Doug Beattie, and the leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood. I also met the community relations in schools initiative and had an invigorating, stimulating and enjoyable session with it. This group deals with building relationships at the interface, from preschool children and their parents right up to second level. The work it does was quite a revelation.

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