Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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241. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he or his Department have sought legal advice from the Attorney General's office on the impact of the Brexit referendum result on the Good Friday Agreement. [33248/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring that all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement are upheld is a major priority for the Government and this forms a key part of our continuing preparations for the EU-UK negotiations. The potential impacts on the Good Friday Agreement are being considered from legal and other perspectives as part of this ongoing work, with advice and assistance by the Attorney General’s Office and my own Department’s Legal Division as required.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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242. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government has detailed its exact objectives with regard to north south trade, cooperation and movement of persons; and if the government detailed its exact objectives with regard to east west trade, cooperation and movement of persons. [32849/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Government has always been clear that our priority going forward is to ensure the best possible outcome for our citizens, for the economy, for Northern Ireland and for the Common Travel Area. This naturally has implications for how we approach trade, cooperation, and the movement of persons, both north-south and east-west.

Regarding trade, we are all acutely conscious of the importance of the UK market to Irish exporters – let me assure you that every effort is being made to protect existing trade and to continue to grow it. Furthermore, in my role as Minister for Trade, I am also intensifying our efforts on other markets, near and far. I believe we have the capacity for much greater market penetration in other EU member states. But we are also looking beyond Europe’s borders. Indeed, at a meeting of the Export Trade Council on 18 October there was a strong focus on markets in Asia in particular. In September I attended the UN General Assembly where I had a series of bilateral meetings with countries from the Americas, Asia and the Antipodes. I gave the strong message that Ireland will remain at the heart of Europe; we will continue to be an English speaking gateway to a market of 500 million people; and we will continue to offer a business friendly environment and a talented and adaptable workforce.

The Government continues to work closely and cooperatively with the Northern Ireland Executive, and at the last North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in July, it was agreed that the Irish Government and the Northern Irish Executive would work together to ensure that the Peace Process is protected. It was also agreed that how we cooperate north-south has to be fully recognised in any new arrangements. An agreed work programme of ten clear actions was agreed, and these issues will be discussed again at the next NSMC on 18 November. Regarding east-west relations, contacts between the Irish and British governments are ongoing at a political and official level, and the next British Irish Council summit will take place in Cardiff later this month.

As part of our commitment to working cooperatively and collaboratively, the Government also held the inaugural All-Island Civic Dialogue on Brexit on 2 November in order to hear from people from all parts of the Island, with representatives from a broad range of civil society groups, trade unions, business groups, non-governmental organisations and representatives from political parties. Both north-south and east-west issues were discussed in detail, and the Government plans to deepen the analysis and build on the insights generated by this dialogue.

Regarding the movement of people, the Irish Government has been clear throughout all our discussions with our UK and EU counterparts that we are committed to maintaining the open and effectively invisible border and protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA). The CTA is an important feature of the close relationship between Ireland and the UK with long-established benefits for trade and tourism between our two countries, both north-south and east-west. The CTA allows for free movement between Ireland and the UK, but it also facilitates voting rights and access to social welfare for our respective citizens.