Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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32. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has conducted an assessment of travel arrangements which may apply if a hard Border is reintroduced following Brexit. [8767/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of his negotiations, particularly those relating to the Border region of counties Cavan and Monaghan, in view of Brexit and the possible reintroduction of a hard Border. [8759/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 43 together.

Firstly, and to be clear, the Government’s firm objective - as underlined in the clearest terms by the Taoiseach last week - is that there be no return to a hard border on this island. This is a political matter, not a legal or technical matter. It will have to be solved by political leadership and will require creativity, imagination and innovation.

The retention of the open border we enjoy today is one of the benefits of the peace process which my Government colleagues and I are so determined to secure as part of the EU-UK negotiations.

Every county in Ireland will be impacted by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, but I am keenly aware of the particular concerns in the Border region, given the deep economic and social links across the border.

Consequently, the Government’s preparation for the forthcoming negotiations has been extensive. Dealing with the impact of Brexit is at the very top of our agenda and it has been since well before the referendum vote in the UK.

The Government has been clear and consistent on our priorities for protecting Ireland’s interests in the upcoming EU-UK negotiations. This includes minimising impact on trade and the economy, protecting the peace process and Northern Ireland including border issues and maintaining the Common Travel Area.

We have to be clear, however, that in relation to the border - and indeed in relation to many other areas – both the UK and the EU will need to compromise if we are to achieve the demanding objectives that the Government has set.

The Taoiseach discussed with Prime Minister May the serious implications of Brexit for Northern Ireland and the imperative of retaining the open border on the island of Ireland, at their meeting in Dublin on 30 January. There will be a need for the British Government to reflect the unique challenges Brexit poses for Northern Ireland in the position they adopt in the negotiations with the EU27. I reinforced this message in my meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire in our meeting on 14 February.

When the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union commence, we, together with our EU partners, will face the UK across the negotiating table and will strive for a deal that everyone can accept but, more importantly, that protects Ireland’s fundamental interests, including maintaining the open border on this island. However, the Government is under no illusions about the hard work needed to deliver this.

As part of our preparations for the negotiations, I have been in contact with all of my EU counterparts in order to sensitise them to the need for specific arrangements which protect the key gains of the peace process on this island – a process to which the EU has already made a key contribution.

From my engagement with all of my EU counterparts, as well as with the EU Institutions, most notably my recent discussions with Michel Barnier, Chair of the European Commission Taskforce on Brexit and Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiator for the European Parliament, there is deep appreciation of the EU’s role and contribution in support of the peace process and a wish to continue that support, regardless of the challenges and changes of Brexit.

The Government will continue to engage with all of our EU partners to highlight the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland, and the consequences for North-South cooperation on the island as a whole, which must be factored into any new EU relationship with the UK.