Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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499. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the work his Department has undertaken in engaging with and studying the policy positions of business and political groupings in Britain advocating that the United Kingdom remain in the customs union and Single Market, including the British Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38098/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Officials of my Department are engaged in this work on an ongoing and continuing basis. This work covers the broad spectrum of political and policy positions on all matters relating to Brexit across the UK, including those articulated in Westminster debates, committee hearings and through the media.

Our Embassy in London and our Consulate in Edinburgh report on policy developments and commentary on a regular basis from across the UK.

My Department, through the responsible officials in Dublin and in the Embassy in London, is in regular contact with business representatives, including the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. I met with representatives of the Chamber myself during my visit to London in July.

I, my Government colleagues, and officials across Government continue to be actively engaging with stakeholders across the island of Ireland to hear their concerns and perspectives, including through the All-Island Civic Dialogue. Most recently I met with members of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce in Belfast and with Irish MEPs in Brussels.

Our Embassies across the EU Member States also actively report on developments of note in the context of Brexit in their countries of accreditation.