Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

94. To ask the Taoiseach if he spoke to Prime Minister May on 4 December 2017 regarding Brexit. [52607/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Taoiseach if he spoke to Arlene Foster on 4 December 2017 regarding Brexit. [52608/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

96. To ask the Taoiseach if he spoke to Michelle O 'Neilll on 4 December 2017 regarding Brexit. [52609/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 to 96, inclusive, together.

I spoke by phone with Prime Minister May on Wednesday 6 December and again on Thursday 7 December.

On both occasions we had good conversations as we took stock of developments since Monday 4 December. I reiterated the firm Irish position regarding the text that I am satisfied was agreed on Monday. We discussed our approach to finding a way to move forward and agreed to talk again.

On Friday morning 8 December, I was pleased to announce that following long and intensive negotiations, we had reached a satisfactory conclusion on the issues relating to Ireland in Phase 1. I said on Friday that we have achieved all we set out to achieve in Phase One of these negotiations. We have the assurances and guarantees we need from the United Kingdom and support for them from the European Union.

I am satisfied that sufficient progress has now been made on the Irish issues. The parameters have been set and they are good. Now, we can move on to work out the detail of what has been agreed and to talk about the transition phase, free trade and the new relationship between the EU and the UK.

Assuming that happens, we can move on to the work necessary to convert the commitments made last week into the necessary provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement.  We also, of course, want to begin discussion about transition arrangements and the new relationship between the EU and the UK, in phase 2.

We will remain fully engaged and vigilant throughout the next period of work.

Throughout, we participated in these discussions as part of the EU 27.  Over recent days I have also spoken with European Council President Tusk and European Commission President Juncker on a number of occasions.  Irish officials were also in constant contact with the EU Task Force over the intensive period of negotiations in recent weeks, as well as engaging with the other EU institutions and Member States.

We were also in bilateral contact with the UK at political and official level, including the contacts I had with Prime Minister May as I have mentioned already.  While these contacts were focused primarily on finding a way forward in the negotiations, Prime Minister May and I remain in agreement on the importance of ensuring close ongoing bilateral Ireland UK relations into the future.

I was not party to any discussions between PM May and DUP leader Arlene Foster in respect of the EU UK negotiations, nor did I speak directly with the DUP leader over the course of the intensive negotiation period of the past two weeks.  As has been set out, the Article 50 process is a negotiation between the EU 27 on the one hand and the UK Government on the other. As such, it is a process that involves sovereign governments rather than individual political parties in any of the relevant jurisdictions. 

In the same way, neither I nor my officials had a role in any decision made about sharing of draft text with the DUP.  Given the nature of the negotiation structure, this was entirely a matter for the UK Government. 

I can also confirm that I was not involved in any direct discussions with the Sinn Fein leader in Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill at this time.