Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans, to revise The Global Island - Ireland's foreign policy paper in view of the Brexit referendum result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40503/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, published in 2015, was the Government’s first major statement of foreign policy in nearly twenty years. It set out our policy priorities and ambitions across the full range of our external engagements. It remains a cornerstone for our planning and for the delivery of Government objectives and it is not intended to update the document at this time.

My Department’s new Statement of Strategy 2016-2019, which articulates the Government’s priorities for external engagement for the next three years, including objectives from the Programme for a Partnership Government, was agreed by Government on 13 December. It will be translated and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the New Year, and will be published online thereafter. The Statement of Strategy provides us with specific goals and outputs, designed to structure our response to the challenges of the day. Foremost among those challenges is undoubtedly the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union. The Statement of Strategy sets out our priority actions in this area and how the staff of the Department at home and in our network of Missions abroad will contribute to protecting Irish interests during Brexit negotiations and beyond. It also underlines the importance of the whole of Government approach and how we will work with our partners in Government to ensure the best possible outcomes for Irish citizens across the full breadth of our work.