Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his European colleagues continue to engage with their colleagues in the UK with a view to addressing any concerns that might exist in the event of a British exit from the European Union; if the full implications for Britain, Ireland, Northern Ireland and the European Union have been fully examined and steps taken to address any issues emerging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9002/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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At the informal meeting of 27 EU Heads of State or Government which took place on 29 June last year, it was agreed that no negotiations of any kind would take place with the United Kingdom until such time as they formally notified of their intention to leave the EU. As the formal notification of departure under Article 50 has not yet occurred – although we expect it to take place next month in line with the UK’s stated intention – to date no negotiation has taken place between the EU and the United Kingdom. For our part, the Government continues to engage closely with the UK government and the devolved administrations and of course more broadly with Northern Ireland, including through the All-Island Civic Dialogue. The Taoiseach met with Prime Minister May last July and more recently in January this year. I have met with the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the EU and his Parliamentary Under Secretary, as well as the UK Foreign Secretary and on a number of occasions, with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. There have also been very constructive discussions at political and official level within the framework of the British Irish Council.

We have used these opportunities in recent months and weeks to address key bilateral points, while at the same time working with our EU partners and the EU Institutions. We have categorically not entered into any wider discussion or negotiations on Brexit with the UK; we have been clear from the outset with the British, that Ireland is part of the EU27 side for this process.

At EU27 level, the last formal discussion of Brexit took place among EU leaders in December, when a number of steps were agreed to handle the negotiation process that would follow the triggering of Article 50. In accordance with these steps, it is agreed that after the formal notification of departure, the EU27 Heads of State and Government will meet to agree and adopt guidelines defining the framework for the negotiations. The General Affairs Council will then adopt more detailed negotiating directives and will authorise the opening of the negotiations.

The guidelines and negotiating directives will be updated as necessary in the course of the negotiations. The European Commission will be the Union negotiator for the EU27 and its team, which will include a representative of the rotating Presidency, will be led by Michel Barnier. The aim is to agree all of these steps as soon as possible in the weeks following the triggering of Article 50, with the objective of starting negotiations proper with the United Kingdom in May/June.

The Government is very clear on Irish priorities in the forthcoming negotiations: to protect our economic interests; to protect the Good Friday Agreement; to maintain the Common Travel Area with the UK; to ensure an invisible border; and to maintain the integrity and unity of the EU, which is itself a core national interest.

Now that we have further detail on the type of future relationship with the EU that the UK will seek and as we approach the start of the Article 50 negotiations, the Government’s detailed preparatory work, which began over two years ago and has steadily intensified since then, will increasingly focus on the negotiations themselves, as well as on the analysis of the impacts of Brexit.