Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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126. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has discussed the new immigration policy being suggested by the UK Government with the UK Prime Minister, Mrs. May. [20725/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring to the policy as set out in the UK Government's White Paper: The United Kingdom's Exit From and New Partnership with the European Union. The White Paper elaborates on the 12 guiding principles for their negotiations under the Article 50 withdrawal process. One of those principles relates to controlling immigration and states that the UK "will design our immigration system to ensure that we are able to control the numbers of people who come here from the EU. In future, therefore, the Free Movement Directive will no longer apply and the migration of EU nationals will be subject to UK law."

The Deputy will be aware that safeguarding the status and rights of the remaining EU 27 Member States citizens and their families in the United Kingdom and of the citizens of the United Kingdom and their families in the EU 27 Member States will be a priority for the negotiations on the UK withdrawal from the EU. The impact of 'Brexit' on the right to free movement of EU citizens will ultimately be a matter that will feature within the withdrawal negotiation process and it is therefore not possible at this juncture to say what arrangements will apply between the UK and EU in the future in respect of such persons or, indeed, on the detail of UK domestic policy on general immigration post Brexit. Ireland of course remains a committed member of the European Union and will continue to uphold the right of free movement for all EU citizens after the UK leaves the Union.

As part of the Common Travel Area arrangements, it has long been the case that Ireland and the UK cooperate closely on jointly securing the external border of the Common Travel Area. We will continue to maintain and enhance the excellent cooperation with the UK in the future.

Both the Irish and UK Governments have publicly declared their commitment to maintaining the CTA and to ensuring no return to a so-called 'hard border' on the island of Ireland. Furthermore, the EU Negotiation Guidelines adopted by the European Council on 29 April refer to the Union's commitment to the unique circumstances of the island of Ireland, including the aim of avoiding a hard border. The Guidelines also state that the Union should recognise existing bilateral agreements and arrangements between the UK and Ireland, which are compatible with EU law.