Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

626. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to report on his visit to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6848/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

629. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his discussions with his European Union counterparts in relation to the possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6851/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

632. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his discussions with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, regarding the possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union and its potential impact on Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6854/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

639. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his proposals to communicate directly with British citizens resident here who are entitled to vote on the forthcoming referendum on British Membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7036/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 626, 629, 632 and 639 together.

I travelled to London last week to meet with UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, for contacts with the opposition Labour Party, to meet members of the Irish community and to engage with Irish community media in the UK. The main reason for my visit to London was to undertake a series of meetings and consultations in relation to the forthcoming UK referendum on EU membership.

During my meeting with the Foreign Secretary, I recalled that the Irish government had been very active in helping to secure a settlement on the UK’s EU membership at the February European Council. I also reiterated Ireland’s clear view in support of the UK government’s wish for the UK to remain in the EU.

I also met with over 30 Irish community and business organisations and encouraged them to inform and involve their members, most of whom as Irish citizens resident in the UK are eligible to vote in this referendum. Also, some leading individuals in the Irish community have come together to form an independent campaign group, Irish4Europe, and I met with them to hear of their plans for the coming months.

As with the UK Foreign Secretary, I meet regularly with my EU counterparts at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council. I use every opportunity to raise the issue of the EU-UK relationship with them, and to outline Ireland's perspective and the need to work together with a view to helping to keep the UK in the EU. This all contributed to the work of EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council, and by Ministers at the General Affairs Council.

I have regular contact with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP, and have discussed the issue of the UK’s EU membership with her. Secretary of State Villiers has taken a personal position in favour of Britain leaving the EU.

On the matter of British citizens living in Ireland who are eligible to vote, I welcome and support the active outreach efforts of the British Embassy in encouraging their citizens living here to register and vote in this referendum. It is hoped that the regular statements by government and by other political, civil society, media and economic commentators will help to inform their vote.

Overall, while the question of the UK’s membership of the EU is for its electorate to decide, Ireland offers a unique perspective as a neighbour, as a fellow EU member state, as a €62 billion-a-year trading partner and as a facilitator of successive agreements aimed at securing peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland. Our position is clear – we want the UK to remain a member state of the European Union.