Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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575. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the meetings she or her departmental officials have had with her British counterpart regarding Brexit and reciprocal rights; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11195/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My UK counterpart, Secretary of State Esther McVey, was recently appointed to her post in the Department for Work and Pensions. I have arranged to meet with her in London on Monday 23^rdApril.

A key area of concern is the impact of Brexit on the current reciprocal arrangements for social insurance and social assistance schemes and child benefit between Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland.

At that meeting I will emphasise my objective to ensure that the reciprocity of civic rights and social welfare rights and entitlements, which currently exist for Irish and UK citizens moving within Ireland and between Ireland and Britain under the Common Travel Area (CTA), are safeguarded and maintained. The importance of maintaining the CTA has been acknowledged in Prime Minister May’s letter of 29 March 2017 triggering Article 50 of the TEU, in the Joint EU/UK Progress report agreed at the European Council on 15^thDecember and it is reflected in the Protocol to the draft Withdrawal Agreement published by the Commission on 28 February.