Written answers

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Trade Relations

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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122. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department's plans for safeguarding Ireland’s trade relationship with the United Kingdoom, should the latter decide to exit the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36840/15]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Continued British membership of the EU remains a key strategic objective of this Government. The reasons for that are very well-documented: the UK’s presence in the EU is central to the health of our economy and to the broader British-Irish relationship. The people of Northern Ireland also benefit from our joint membership of the Union. It is the Government’s view as well that the Union as a whole is stronger on account of British membership.

That helps to explain why our collective focus is on keeping the UK in the European Union. This means we need to maintain both our engagement with the UK Government on their potential reform plans and our willingness to work with them in support of common EU policy objectives – many of which relate to the single market and improving competitiveness. We are also doing our utmost to ensure that our other EU partners best understand the particular issues that arise for Ireland in connection with British membership of the EU.

At the same time, the Government fully recognises that it must be prepared for all scenarios, particularly in relation to the economic impact of any change in the nature of the UK’s relationship with the EU. We are already in regular contact with business and commercial groups, both here and in the UK, to improve our appreciation of the many different issues that could arise. Further work is also being undertaken across other Government Departments to enhance that understanding. This includes research that the Department of Finance has commissioned from the Economic and Social Research Institute on macro-economic links between the UK and Ireland in the context of EU membership.

In my own contacts with the British Government, and especially in discussions with my UK counterpart Philip Hammond, I have emphasized the specific and instrumental role that the EU has played in bringing our two economies closer together. I also made the same point in a speech at Chatham House in London in September. I will continue to underline the importance of our joint EU membership to our excellent trading relationship in my future engagement with members of the British Government on this subject, including during my planned meeting with Foreign Secretary Hammond on November 23rd next.

I remain convinced that the best way to safeguard the strong trading relationship between Ireland and the UK is through continued British membership of the Union. Our priority focus will therefore remain on helping to secure the UK’s place in the EU. That said, we will continue to take a vigilant and comprehensive approach, across Government, to ensure that all of Ireland’s interests – including in relation to trade – are best protected in the case of a British departure from the EU.

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