Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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22. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the matters discussed in his meetings with political parties in Stormont on 3 November 2016; and if he will provide a report on the North-South Ministerial Council meeting that took place on 18 November 2016. [36557/16]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I have tabled this question following last week's North-South Ministerial Council which all sides broadly agree was positive. A set of principles were agreed to on how to move forward. Will the Council be the vehicle used to discuss Brexit issues between the Executive and the Government and are there plans to have more regular meetings?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach and I visited Belfast on 3 November for a series of meetings with political parties. We met the deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, MLA; the Sinn Féin President, Deputy Gerry Adams, the SDLP leader, Mr. Colum Eastwood, MLA, and colleagues; the UUP leader, Mr. Mike Nesbitt, MLA, and colleagues, and Alliance Party MLAs, Mr. David Ford and Dr. Stephen Farry. The Taoiseach also met the First Minister, Ms Arlene Foster, MLA, in Dublin on 15 November.

Each of these meetings was an important opportunity to speak directly with political leaders in Northern Ireland as part of the Government's continuing engagement with the Executive and other parties, with a view to working together to prepare for and manage the shared, all-island impacts of the United Kingdom's decision to leave the and those of the European Union. We emphasised the Government's commitment to playing its full role, as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, in support of continued peace, prosperity and deeper reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

We also discussed what special arrangements might be required to take account of the unique situation of Northern Ireland in the upcoming negotiations within the European Union on the departure of the United Kingdom from the Union.

As the Deputy outlined, the UK departure from the Union was also a major focus of the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, plenary meeting last Friday. The Government and Northern Ireland Executive agreed to continue to work closely together to optimise North-South planning in the phases preceding and following the UK withdrawal from the European Union. In terms of taking forward the necessary work, the NSMC agreed that the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive will be guided by some common principles. It also agreed that this work would be taken forward through continuing bilateral discussions within the NSMC at sectoral level, as well as through a high-level working group comprising senior officials from the Government and from the Northern Ireland Executive office.

In addition to our discussions on Brexit, we also reviewed progress on the implementation of the Fresh Start agreement, commitments on cross-Border infrastructure projects and on the cross-Border partnership arrangements, developed by Derry city and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council. I am pleased that my Department has played a leading role in that regard by contributing €2.5 million to the North West Development Fund.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Does the Minister accept that Brexit undermines the institutional, constitutional and legal integrity and status of the Good Friday Agreement? Has the Government done an impact assessment on what Brexit could mean for the Good Friday Agreement? We all agree the Good Friday political institutions, human rights guarantees and all-Ireland bodies, the constitutional and legal rights of the people to exercise their right to self-determination and a united Ireland through consent by referendum North and South must be protected.

We also agree that the peace process is still very fragile. There are many unresolved legacy issues. Acht na Teanga has not been implemented. There are outstanding human rights concerns and there are problems with prisons. Sectarianism is rife. Issues also arise on parades, flags and emblems. A considerable amount of work remains to be done and the problem is Brexit brings uncertainty, division and doubt. Has the Government undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I very much agree with the Deputy that we have many challenges in respect of Northern Ireland, the fragile political process and the institutions as established under the Good Friday Agreement. The Deputy is correct that it is essential in the context of Brexit that we ensure the primacy of the Good Friday Agreement as a legally binding international document.

It is fair to say that while at last week’s North-South Ministerial Council the dominant agenda item was Brexit, other issues were also discussed. In the context of the other issues I adverted to progress in the Fresh Start agreement, the Stormont House Agreement and at last week’s meeting, the council received an update on the progress being made on the implementation of the various commitments under those agreements, and some issues that remain unimplemented from the Good Friday Agreement itself from 1998. The plenary meeting also reviewed the major economic and social developments which had occurred in both parts of the island since our last meeting in July 2016. I share the Deputy’s concern that this is something of a challenging agenda. I intend to be in Belfast on a couple of occasions between now and the Christmas recess.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister’s time has expired.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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We have a very full agenda with particular reference to the issues as raised.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Has the Government undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of the damaging effect and possible breaches of the Good Friday Agreement? Has the Minister briefed other EU governments on the issue?

Ambassadors have appeared before committees and spoken about the great sympathy that exists for this country, but what exactly does that mean in terms of possible practical outcomes in terms of the Good Friday Agreement?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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One practical example is the consequence of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom for the Border counties. That is an issue on which my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, has been particularly anxious to ensure is a priority focus of his engagement.

I described our meeting last week of the North-South Ministerial Council as being a Brexit impact assessment where we had Ministers from Dublin responsible for a wider range of Departments meeting with their counterparts and engaging fully on the consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union, with particular reference to agriculture, fisheries, food, energy and jobs. I do not believe any Department will not be impacted on in some way by the challenge. As well as that we have the issues of the Good Friday Agreement. The status of the Good Friday Agreement is an overriding principle for any negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union that refer specifically to the matter of Northern Ireland.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I ask Members to be conscious of the time constraints because we will be depriving Members at the end of the queue.