Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

76. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Brexit last met; and the status of its work. [34892/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Cabinet Committee on Brexit has met three times to date, on 8 September, on 19 October and on 7 November, for in depth discussion of the issues arising from the UK decision to leave the European Union.

The Committee will oversee the overall Government response, including both the economic impact and the negotiations at EU level and with the administrations in London and Belfast. The Cabinet Committee will continue to meet on a regular basis to deal with Brexit related issues. Brexit has been a matter of regular and detailed consideration by Government for some time, both in advance of the UK EU Referendum and since.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

77. To ask the Taoiseach if he will open up negotiations with the British Government on Brexit prior to Article 50 being triggered. [35217/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Article 50 will frame the negotiations on arrangements for the UK’s eventual withdrawal from the EU. We know from PM May that she intends to formally trigger Article 50 no later than the end of March next year. No negotiations will take place until Article 50 has been explicitly triggered.

There is, however, ongoing close political and official engagement, including with the British Government, Northern Ireland and the EU Member States and institutions.

Engagement with the UK has been through existing frameworks and institutions, such as the Joint Work Programme, which I signed with then-Prime Minister Cameron in 2012. Prime Minister May and I reaffirmed our Governments’ commitment to this co-operation when we met in July. On 6th October, our most Senior Civil Servants held their 5th Annual meeting on the Joint Work Programme. This served as a valuable vehicle for discussion and exploration of Brexit implications, impacts and options, in addition to providing for consideration of deeper co-operation in areas not affected by the UK vote to leave the EU. There was helpful engagement on the priority issues for the Irish Government, such as on Northern Ireland, the Common Travel Area and Trade.

We will continue to use existing channels of communication, including summit meetings between the UK Prime Minister and myself to ensure that our interests are protected, though in many cases they will have to be managed through EU-UK frameworks.

The structures established under the Good Friday Agreement for managing relations on these islands, including the North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council can play an important role in shaping the Brexit negotiations, and my Government will do all it can to ensure this. In the context of the North South Ministerial Council, the political parties represented in the Northern Ireland Executive have an important responsibility to work together to define, as closely as possible, a shared objective regarding the consequences of Brexit and how best to respond to them, including through discussion with the Irish and British Governments and feeding into the formal negotiation process.