Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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197. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the discussions he has had with his counterparts in Great Britain, the Northern Ireland and Scottish Assemblies and in the EU with regard to the education issues following Brexit. [37167/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Both I and the Secretary of State for Education in the UK have corresponded on the likely Brexit impacts on our respective education systems in terms of a range of areas affecting students, academics, research and others. It is our intention to meet to explore these issues further on a mutually suitable date.

I had a bi-lateral meeting with the Northern Ireland Minister for Education, Peter Weir MLA, on the margins of the North South Ministerial Council Plenary Meeting in Dublin Castle on 4^thJuly 2016. While the meeting was mainly of an introductory nature, Brexit matters were discussed. This NSMC Plenary Meeting provided the new Irish Government and the new Northern Ireland Executive with the opportunity to meet formally for the first time and exchange views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern, especially in light of the UK referendum result.

At the North South Ministerial Council Education Sectoral meeting in Armagh on 21^stSeptember I had a preliminary discussion with Minister Weir on the possible implications of Brexit and we agreed to have further discussions on the matter at future NSMC Education meetings. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in March 2017. 

I attended the NSMC Plenary Meeting in Armagh on 18^thNovember 2016 when further discussion on the implications of the UK Referendum took place. The meeting agreed that Ministers will continue their discussions at NSMC sectoral level in the coming months and that bilateral discussions will continue, as required, between relevant Ministers and officials.

At official level, the Secretary General of Department attended the UK/Ireland Permanent Secretary/Secretary General Summit in London on 5^thand 6^thOctober. The Summit discussed a wide range of areas concerning proposed post-Brexit arrangements. In this context I have asked my officials to build on their contacts with counterparts in Britain and across the devolved administrations to ensure a common understanding of the issues and priorities affecting our respective education systems in a post-Brexit scenario. 

So far I have not had discussions with my counterpart in Scotland, and look forward to an opportunity to do so.