Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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148. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of his officials' continued talks on Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23319/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Maintaining frequent contact with Mr Barnier and the Article 50 Taskforce continues to be a priority for Ireland. In addition to my personal engagement with Mr Barnier, our Permanent Representative and in Brussels and his team continue to have very regular, almost daily, engagement with the Taskforce. Officials from Dublin also travel regularly to Brussels for meetings with the Taskforce and other Directorates General.

The ongoing negotiations between the EU and UK are focused on all outstanding issues in the draft Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as the future relationship. The latest negotiating round took place last week.

Negotiations to close the remaining gaps in the draft Withdrawal Agreement are ongoing, including detailed discussions between the EU and the UK on issues relating to Ireland and Northern Ireland. This has included our involvement in discussions, where appropriate, while respecting the negotiation structures that have been mandated by the European Council.

Real and substantial progress is needed on agreeing the Protocol ahead of the June European Council. This means the UK delivering on the clear commitments it has made in December and again in March by engaging meaningfully on the text of the Protocol in the coming weeks, and in particular the text dealing with the backstop on avoiding a hard border. So far, the pace of negotiations has been disappointing. The UK needs urgently to come forward with workable proposals which could form a serious basis for seeking agreement on the text so that the entire withdrawal agreement can be concluded by October.

The EU has always made clear that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” and that negotiations can only progress as long as all commitments undertaken so far are respected in full. The European Council (Article 50) is therefore continuing to follow the negotiations closely and will return in particular to the remaining withdrawal issues, including the Protocol, and to the framework for the future relationship at its meeting on 29 June. This meeting will be prepared by the General Affairs Council (Article 50) at its meeting on 26 June, which I expect to attend.