Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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512. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of his European counterparts he has met in the past 12 months to discuss the way in which they work together to mitigate against the negative impacts of Brexit. [26860/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Brexit remains the number one strategic risk that my Department is facing and to this end my officials and I continue to engage with our European colleagues and counterparts.

Most recently my office had arranged bilaterals with the French, German, Dutch, Finnish and UK Ministers for Transport to take place at the margins of June's Transport Council meeting. Unfortunately I was unable to travel to Luxembourg to attend Council on this occasion; however, I am hoping to reschedule these meetings in the near future.

In May, I met both Professor Péter Balázs, the EU Coordinator for the North-Sea Mediterranean TEN-T Corridor, and Brian Simpson, the EU Coordinator for the Motorways of the Sea programme. Brexit was a key point on the agenda and both Coordinators are cognisant of the unique challenges facing Ireland as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.

In October 2017 I met the EU Transport Commissioner, Ms Violeta Bulc, during her visit to Ireland and raised with her Ireland's concerns in relation to the implications of Brexit on transport and connectivity. I previously met Commissioner Bulc at the Transport Council in Luxembourg in June 2017.

In September 2017, I held a conference call with Ken Skates AM, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, on Brexit related matters.

In June 2017, I met the Austrian Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology, Jörg Leichtfried, in relation to Brexit and Road Safety. I also met with members of the External Affairs Committee of the National Assembly for Wales on matters primarily relating to Brexit.

In May 2017, I met the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure, Anna Johansson, on road safety and Brexit matters.

I also met the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, on two occasions in 2017.

As can be seen from the above, I have engaged with relevant European colleagues on this importance issue throughout the last 12 months and will continue to do so in the coming months ahead.