Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1590. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department has started contingency planning in the event that the common travel area and the reciprocal arrangements for social insurance and social assistance are not preserved or are altered in the aftermath of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36599/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government's long-term objective is to ensure that the reciprocity of civic rights and social welfare rights and entitlements, which currently exist for Irish and UK citizens moving within Ireland and between Ireland and Britain under the Common Travel Area (CTA), are safeguarded and maintained. The importance of maintaining the CTA has been acknowledged in Prime Minister May’s letter of 29 March 2017 triggering Article 50 of the TEU and the European Council guidelines of 29 April 2017.

The Department is continuing its assessment of the implications for relevant social security schemes and services including pensions, Child Benefit and services between Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland. This is part of the ongoing Brexit analysis for input into the detailed planning and wider Government deliberative process.

It is important to state that the current arrangements for social security between Ireland and the UK, and the UK and EU27, have not changed. All social welfare payments, including pensions and Child Benefit, continue to be paid as normal.