Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his trip to France on 23 October 2017; the meetings he attended and the issues that were discussed. [45689/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Taoiseach the meetings he had in Paris on 24 October 2017 and the issues that were discussed. [46209/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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113. To ask the Taoiseach his views on the comments made by President Macron of France at their meeting on 24 October 2017 regarding his views that Britain is responsible for outlining concrete solutions to minimise the impact of the border with Northern Ireland. [46210/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the discussion he had with President Macron of France on 24 October 2017 regarding the agricultural sector both here and in France. [46211/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the discussions he had with President Macron of France on digital taxation. [46212/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Taoiseach the discussions he had with President Macron at his most recent meeting in Paris on 24 October 2017. [46236/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 112 to 115, inclusive, and 118 together.

My meeting with President Macron in Paris covered bilateral relations, the Brexit negotiations, and the future of Europe.

We noted the extensive trading relationship between us and agreed that this provides a solid platform on which to build into the future, especially as Ireland looks to grow and diversify markets in the context of Brexit.

We also discussed our cooperation in other areas, including the EU Training Mission in Mali, and our joint commitment to the planned Celtic Interconnector that will link our electricity networks.

On Brexit, we welcomed the progress achieved to date in the negotiations and agreed that further work is required on the three withdrawal issues - citizens' rights, financial settlement and Irish/Northern Irish issues -before the European Council can agree that sufficient progress has been made in order to move onto phase two. I thanked the President for his continuing understanding and support on Irish-specific issues.

On other EU issues, we agreed on the importance of supporting agriculture and protecting our vital interests in the ongoing Mercosur negotiations.

We also agreed on the enormous potential of the digital economy. I outlined my view that the best way to achieve a successful outcome in the taxation area is to support the work underway at the OECD.

I acknowledged the renewed energy that President Macron has brought to the debate on the future of Europe, and outlined my view that we need to focus on where Europe can have concrete and positive impacts on the lives of our citizens.

We also discussed our respective plans to bring the debate on Europe to the public, through the citizens’ dialogue, and other mechanisms.