Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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280. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which his Department's officials are co-ordinating the latest round of Brexit meetings at EU level, particularly in relation to the preparation of a possible border after March 2019. [39102/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Commission Taskforce, led by Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, represents the EU27 in the Article 50 negotiations with the UK. The Taskforce is acting on the basis of the mandate approved by the EU27 Member States at the General Affairs Council (Art. 50) on 22 May and in accordance with the EU’s overall approach to the negotiations as agreed in the European Council Guidelines of 29 April. The negotiations, which formally commenced on 19 June, are taking place on the basis of four-week negotiating cycles. Three rounds have taken place to date, with the fourth round set to commence on 25 September. In accordance with the European Council Guidelines and the Terms of Reference agreed between the EU and the UK, the negotiations are focusing on withdrawal issues during phase 1 (citizens' rights, financial settlement, Irish specific issues and “separation” issues which are of a more technical character) with the commencement of phase 2 (parallel discussions on future relationship issues) contingent on sufficient progress having being made on phase 1 issues.

Three Negotiating Groups have been established at technical level to advance negotiations on citizens’ rights, the financial settlement and the other “separation” issues. In recognition of their complexity and sensitivity, it was agreed that resolving the Irish set of issues should be taken forward by the most senior officials within the negotiating teams by way of a High Level Dialogue.

The EU27 Member States are monitoring progress and giving guidance to the Taskforce through a dedicated Article 50 Working Party, which in turn reports to Coreper (Art. 50), on which Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the European Union sits. This is ensuring that the negotiations are carried out under the overall strategic and political guidance of the EU27 Member States through the European Council (Art. 50) and the General Affairs Council (Art. 50), supported by a very high level of scrutiny at senior official and Ambassadorial levels.

My Department has the lead responsibility for coordinating a whole-of-Government approach to the negotiations and we are working actively with all Government Departments to this end, in particular in relation to the Irish-specific issues in the current phase of negotiations that require a cross-departmental approach such as the Common Travel Area and protecting the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process, including the avoidance of a hard border.

Both I and my officials are also working very closely with Mr Barnier and his team to ensure that Ireland’s positions are understood and reflected in the Taskforce’s approach to each round of the negotiations and of course the Permanent Representation in Brussels is also central to this work. Our intensive engagement with our counterparts from other Member States is also continuing at both political and official level.

On the Irish specific issues, I am satisfied with the direction the High Level Dialogue between the UK and EU teams is taking. Good progress has been made on the Common Travel Area and there is a common objective to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process. However, while some progress is being made on the protection of the Good Friday Agreement and the gains of the peace process, including the avoidance of a hard border, a lot more work is required on ensuring that the full implications of the UK’s decision to leave the EU is understood, including on North South cooperation.

In the last round of negotiations which concluded on 31 August, the UK presented its paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland. While the publication of this paper was welcome, the UK’s aspirations and statements of principle need to be backed by substantive commitments and clear links to workable solutions.

The Government welcomes and supports the Taskforce’s paper on the “Guiding Principles for the dialogue on Ireland/Northern Ireland” of 7 September. The paper builds on the European Council Guidelines agreed earlier this year and reflects the priority Irish issues identified by the Government: protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, and the peace process, including avoiding a hard border, and maintaining the Common Travel Area and sets out the principles on which solutions will have to be based. The EU will now seek to agree these principles with the UK as the basis for the future discussions on detailed solutions. I and my officials will continue to work closely with Mr Barnier and his team to advance Ireland’s concerns in these negotiations.