Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagement with first Vice President of the European Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans, on 21 February 2017. [11420/17]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach his plans to include items, or if he has sought the inclusion of items, on the agenda of the next European Council meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government; and if he will report on his plans for this meeting. [11756/17]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with EU officials in Brussels on 2 March 2017. [11784/17]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his visit to Brussels on 2 March 2017. [12045/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on each of the meetings he attended in Brussels on 2 March 2017 and the issues that were discussed. [12050/17]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

Since the UK referendum last June, I have had an intensive series of bilateral meetings with my counterparts in EU member states and with the heads of the EU institutions. I have attended all formal and informal meetings of the European Council. At all my meetings, I have highlighted and explained Ireland’s particular concerns arising from Brexit, including those relating to Northern Ireland and the peace process, the common travel area, our interwoven economies and the future of the EU. I met first Vice President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, in Government Buildings on 21 February last. His visit followed those of other Commissioners, including Mr. Moscovici and Ms Vestager, which have served to underline the Commission's understanding of Ireland's particular concerns and support for our approach.  The meeting was constructive, with Commissioner Timmermans demonstrating a good understanding of Ireland's concerns and offering strong Commission support for our approach in addressing them. I visited Brussels on 23 February to meet the Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. I also participated in a business event organised by the Ireland Belgium Business Association and supported by the Irish Embassy and Enterprise Ireland.

As I continued this strategic programme of engagement, I travelled to Brussels again on 2 March for separate meetings with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, the recently elected President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, a number of key Members of the European Parliament and the chief Commission Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. The focus of these meetings was on Brexit as well as the future direction of the EU. In addition to setting out our concerns around the economic and trade implications of the UK departure, I again explained in detail the peace process in Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement and the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland that must be recognised from the start and reflected in the final agreement.  President Tusk, President Tajani and Mr. Barnier understood and acknowledged these issues and expressed their openness to working closely with us in the forthcoming negotiations. It was useful to highlight these issues to key MEPs. As the European Parliament will adopt a resolution on Brexit in the coming months and will ultimately have to approve the final exit deal, it is important that we continue to engage to seek support there. With regard to the debate on the future of the EU, I underlined to all my interlocutors the need for unity and the importance of our core European values, which are central to our continuing peace and prosperity. We must deliver for our citizens and, in that context, press ahead in areas of particular relevance, including jobs, growth, investment, the Single Market and the digital single market. I will continue to make these points in the build-up to the summit in Rome at the end of this month and into the future.

The next European Council meeting will take place on 9 March next. The draft agenda that has been published by the general secretariat of the Council envisages that the Maltese Presidency will provide an overview of progress on the implementation of earlier European Council conclusions and that the European Council will look at a number of the most pressing issues, including those relating to jobs, growth and competitiveness; security and defence; migration; and external relations. Decisions are also to be taken on the position of the President of the European Council and the establishment of a European public prosecutor's office. The agenda is in order from Ireland's perspective. Therefore, I have not sought any particular items for inclusion on it. I will be making a full statement in advance of the European Council meeting, as I always do, after Question Time this afternoon.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask Deputies to keep within time if they can.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach has indicated to my party leader, Deputy Adams, on several occasions that the Government intends to publish a White Paper on Brexit. The British Government is expected to trigger Article 50 next week if it overcomes the obstacles that have been erected by the House of Lords. That will create a step change in respect of Brexit, as it will mean we will move away from talking and speculating about Brexit and into the formal negotiation process. In light of the urgency of this matter, will the Taoiseach tell the House when he intends to publish the White Paper on Brexit? In his address to the Institute of International and European Affairs at the Mansion House several weeks ago, the Taoiseach told his audience the Government intends to seek EU funding to help businesses affected by Brexit.

The Government expects to fund the stabilisation and adjustment measures and the Taoiseach stated that he would seek support from the EU for this. Did the Taoiseach raise this matter with Mr. Timmermans when he met him two weeks ago? Did he raise the matter with Mr. Donald Tusk, Mr. Michel Barnier, Mr. Antonio Tajani or others he has met in Brussels? What response did he get?

What focus was given to the issue of the North being afforded special status within the EU during the course of the meetings? The Government has opposed this notion of special status but there is increasing support for it both here and in the North. The Taoiseach can see from the Assembly elections that the majority of its new Members, who represent a majority of citizens, believe in the need for the North to be protected from what could potentially be the devastation of Brexit. Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party all support some form of special status for the North. As we know, a motion to that effect was supported by this House.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy. Her time is up.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Will I get to come back in?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If there is time.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Right. That is very expansive.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is the reform committee.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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All the parties are represented on that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am just explaining it as it was explained to me.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Cabinet sub-committee on Brexit met this morning at 8 o'clock and we went through all the preparatory work that has been ongoing for quite some time. When the British Prime Minister triggers Article 50, it means she will write a formal letter to President Tusk of the European Council indicating formal notice of Britain's intention to leave the European Union. The Government will respond to that directly because at least we will have some further clarity - particularly with regard to trade and the customs union - on what the British Government is seeking. We have agreed that what it will look for is as close a relationship as is possible with the European Union. That would suit Ireland. Clearly, if a country is removed from the Single Market, with a changed status in respect of the customs unions, these issues become politically very challenging. The Government will respond in considerable detail directly after Article 50 is triggered on how we intend to negotiate our position. I have set out the priorities on this already.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I wish to ask about the future of Europe and the Taoiseach's discussions in that regard, particularly at the meeting on 2 March. The European Commission has set out five options for the future of Europe. These include: carrying on; having nothing but the Single Market; those who to do so doing more; doing less more efficiently; or doing much more together. Has the Taoiseach had any sense in his discussions as to which of those five scenarios the Irish Government would see as our future? I am conscious of his statement to the effect that he will press ahead in respect of areas of common interest and that these are all economic. I have a slight concern that we are not looking at social, environmental or other issues, and that what the Taoiseach referred to all relates to one area. Did the Taoiseach give an indication of what would be the approach of the Government in responding to the Commission's scenarios to set out our vision of our role in the future of Europe?

I was shocked to see some VoteWatch analysis recently which identifies Ireland as probably the most negative country on just about any suggestion for the development of Europe. It is opposed to economic integration, tax harmonisation and defence co-operation. There was also a categorisation of the responses from governments to date. Eastern countries are very nervous about a segregated or two-speed approach but western governments are possibly in favour of that. Northern and Scandinavian governments are looking for neither of those. Where did the Taoiseach place us when he spoke with either members of the Commission or President Tusk on the future of Europe White Paper?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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With regard to Deputy McDonald's latter point, we have special status as we stand in that we are the only country with a peace process supported by the European Union and an international legally-binding agreement. We want to build on that and we will have a much clearer view once Article 50 is triggered. I made the point that there can be all-island agreements in respect of a number of areas if there is a willingness shown in that regard. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan, is in Belfast today working with the parties and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and we hope an Executive and an Assembly can be put together.

In respect of the issues that Deputy Eamon Ryan raised, from a European perspective, the critical issues, particularly for the western Balkans, the countries of which are experiencing pressure from Russia, are migration, security and defence and NATO matters. We must also consider comments made by the new American Administration about participation in NATO in future if spending does not rise to 2% of gross domestic product. There are implications for Germany in this regard - a strong economic power -- which might mean it being obliged to allocate €50 billion or €60 billion per year. The German people have been very reticent about this for good historic reasons but that is a matter for discussion.

The Deputy mentioned a two-speed Europe. Ireland will be placed at the front and we do not want to be left behind in any way. We want to be part of a social Europe. We will not be left behind because we have put our point as being central to Europe and the eurozone. That is where we intend to stay.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is fair to say that there has been welcome reassurance from the European institutions that they understand the Border issue on this island and that it is unique in the context of the Brexit negotiations. There is no evident move to go beyond very broad generalities. British Prime Minister May has stated she wants a red, white and blue Brexit, which is not very reassuring to all those who do not share her British nationalist policies. Mr. Tony Connolly spoke about the Border issue on RTE last night and he is among the correspondents who have made the consistent point that there has been comment in Brussels about how Ireland has been successful in raising concerns but that so far we have not offered concrete solutions. For some reason, we have not finished an economic impact assessment. At this stage, I am concerned we are not offering the level of detail needed to guide negotiations to a good outcome.

The civil dialogue confirms that businesses on both sides of the Border are terrified of the impact of the new customs and trade regulations that are now inevitable. With regard to supply chains, queuing at Border crossings is not the issue but rather the paperwork and multiple duties. Mr. Connolly captured that well last night in discussing similar border issues in different parts of the EU. The only way we can realistically tackle that is with some form of special economic zone or customs zone to be established for Northern Ireland, or at the very least for Border counties. Is the Taoiseach proposing anything specific for the negotiations on these issues? Are there any required technical papers being prepared at this stage?

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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I have a related question on Article 50 being invoked and the Taoiseach's discussion and contact with Mr. Michel Barnier and Mr. Guy Verhofstadt who represent the European Commission and the European Parliament, respectively. Does the Taoiseach have any sense they are prepared to deal with Ireland's special circumstances up-front and that once Article 50 and the framework for discussions are agreed, with people making their opening statements in the European Parliament or wherever, Ireland's special position will be recognised in that framework of discussions? That is both from the perspective of the Commission and Parliament. There is increasing talk of a multi-speed Europe, with more sentiments expressed during the week about that from those who want to press ahead with further integration in a two-speed Europe. What is the Irish Government's view on that?

It is not in the spirit of why Ireland joined the EEC and, subsequently, the EU. I would welcome a clear statement from the Taoiseach about these ongoing suggestions of a two-speed Europe.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As I have said on many occasions, we are still not clear about a number of issues regarding the British Government's position. When the Prime Minister writes the letter on behalf of the British Government and triggers Article 50, we will respond to it in detail. A great deal of preparatory work has been done, as the Deputy is well aware. All the options in the different sectors have been set out and considered. We need to know what we are dealing with so we can respond to it. The negotiations are led by the Barnier task force and the Commission and we feed our concerns into it. The Government will respond in detail when Article 50 has been triggered.

No work is under way regarding the acquisition of land for Border customs posts. There was some talk about it some time ago. Our political position is that there will be no return to the Border of the past, and this is agreed and accepted by the British Government. It is a political challenge. It is not a technological or a paper issue. It is a political priority. I was in Kiltyclogher in County Leitrim recently. During the Troubles, Leitrim was the only county from which one could not get to Northern Ireland. Every road was blown up. The people there who are in their senior years never want to go back to that situation, and neither do we.

The Deputy mentioned a special economic zone. These are matters for consideration. My starting point is that there would be no return to that Border. There is political agreement on it that whatever will happen will be consequent on the nature of the relationship the UK wants with Europe from then on, clearly with implications for Ireland.

One of the four priorities set out by Michel Barnier, as head of the Brexit task force, is to deal with the question of Northern Ireland and the Border. He is well aware of the difference between this and Catalonia, which is a Spanish issue, or Gibraltar, which is a Spanish-British issue. Ours is the subject of an international, legally binding agreement.

Deputy Haughey asked a good question about the multi-speed Europe issue, which has been around for a while. Various ideas and proposals, so-called "variable geometry", have always arisen in discussion about future developments of the EU. They are again being mentioned in the context of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. We have already had such a variable geometry regarding the euro and the Schengen Agreement. Enhanced co-operation has been included in the treaties for this reason and the provisions can be used to allow a group of states to move ahead if they wish with co-operation without all members supporting it. We want to stay in the vanguard, right up at the front. If it transpires that there are two speeds operating in Europe, we want to be at the higher speed and central to it.