Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to address concerns that Brexit will jeopardise ongoing co-operation between Northern Ireland and the State in the area of environmental management and protection; if he has engaged with his Northern Irish and UK counterparts on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41902/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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North/South cooperation is a central part of the Good Friday Agreement. Under the Agreement, the North South Ministerial Council was established to develop consultation, cooperation and action on matters of mutual interest on an all-island and cross border basis.

Protecting the gains of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts have been identified by both the EU and the UK as a priority to be addressed within the context of the Article 50 negotiations. The European Commission Taskforce, led by Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, represents the EU27 in the Article 50 negotiations with the UK.

In its paper on Guiding Principles for the Dialogue on Ireland/Northern Ireland, the EU Commission Taskforce has recognised the central importance of North South cooperation and states that it should be protected across all relevant sectors.

While progress continues to be made, there is substantial work that remains to be done.  Irish officials remain in close contact with Mr Barnier’s team to progress this work. It is not possible at this stage to say with certainty what impact the UK leaving the EU will have on sectors including the environment. This will be largely dependent on the shape of the future relationship between the EU and UK.

Since the formation of the new UK Government, I met with Thérèse Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities, on Monday 19th June, at the Environment Council in Luxembourg. This is the latest in a number of bilateral meetings I have had with my UK counterparts.

In February this year I attended the EU Environment Council. I used this opportunity to hold bilateral discussions on the potential impacts of Brexit on the Irish and European energy sectors with the UK Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Energy, Mr Jesse Norman. I also held discussions with Simon Hamilton, Minister for the Economy in the Northern Ireland Executive, on the margins of the North South Ministerial Council in September last.