Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with civic groups in Northern Ireland regarding the Brexit negotiations; the outcome of such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53163/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the importance of engaging with civic groups in Northern Ireland in the context of the ongoing EU – UK exit negotiations. I maintain regular engagement on behalf of the Government with civic society across all communities and regions in Northern Ireland. The Taoiseach and other Government Ministers also visit Northern Ireland on a regular basis.

I have most recently had the opportunity to discuss the impact of Brexit with civil society groups during my visit to Belfast on 22 November. This and other visits provide the opportunity to discuss concerns regarding the impact of Brexit on lives and livelihoods across Northern Ireland and I will be continuing this engagement in the period ahead.

In addition, many civil society organisations in Northern Ireland continue to participate in the All-Island Civic Dialogue process. The All-Island Civic Dialogue was launched in November 2016 in order to have the widest possible conversation with civil society groups, trade unions, business groups, non-governmental organisations and political parties across the island of Ireland. Since then, three plenary dialogues and twenty sectoral dialogues have taken place in locations across the country to discuss the impact of Brexit on specific areas including agrifood, Transport, Energy, Tourism and Hospitality and Education. The most recent sectoral dialogue on energy took place in Dublin on October 26. These dialogue meetings have enjoyed strong participation from civil society groups, North and South.

At the last plenary meeting of the All-Island Civic Dialogue in September of this year, Northern Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement was the principal focus of a session on citizens. This session highlighted that there is a need for politics and civil society to come together and discuss the cross-community impact of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. The overwhelming message was that, in discussions around Northern Ireland and Brexit, protecting and developing the gains of the peace process must be the main priority. This is reflected in both the Government and EU position on Northern Ireland in protecting the hard won gains of the peace process and avoiding border infrastructure of any kind on this island.

In this regard, we are pleased with the agreement that was reached between PM May and President Juncker last Friday which represents significant progress for Ireland’s priorities in the EU-UK negotiations. This includes maintaining the Common Travel Area, protecting the Good Friday Agreement and North South cooperation, and protection of EU citizenship and other rights. I sincerely hope that the European Council will make the decision tomorrow to move to phase two of the negotiations. The Government will continue its work on Irish-specific issues in a distinct strand of phase two of the negotiations as part of the EU27.

I will continue engagement with civil society groups North and South as the negotiations progress.