Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his visit to Germany; the meetings he attended; the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26341/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I visited Germany on 12 and 13 June.

My visit began in Munich where I had talks with Niels Annen, Minister of State at the German Foreign Ministry. Our discussions included Brexit, developments in the EU generally and our respective bilateral relationship with Africa.

In Munich I also met with the Bavarian Minister for Digital, Media and Europe Georg Eisenreich. Brexit, the opening of the Consulate in Frankfurt and Ireland’s relations with Bavaria were the main items discussed.

In Berlin I participated in a high-level Round Table discussion at the European Council on Foreign Relations. In my remarks I addressed a number of key global issues including the Middle East Peace Process and EU-Africa relations. The Q&A following my address was dominated by Brexit with participants eager to hear Ireland’s assessment of developments. The Future of Europe including the ongoing Migration crisis were among the other issues discussed.

I was honoured to be welcomed to the Bundestag by its President Wolfgang Schauble, who served as German Federal Finance Minister for many years. I briefed him on Ireland’s economy, the fastest growing in the Eurozone. As in most other meetings, Brexit was a major topic of discussion and I thanked President Schauble for Germany’s ongoing support for Ireland in the negotiations.

In the Bundestag I met with the European Affairs Committee. In my remarks I focused on Brexit and the questions from Members also focused on that issue including the likely impact on our economy. Other matters discussed were EU enlargement, the Multiannual Financial Framework and taxation.

While in the Bundestag I also met the German-Irish Parliamentary Friendship Group. The expansion of Ireland’s global footprint, Corporation Tax as well as Brexit were the items covered in what was a brief session.

I had a very positive meeting with Lucia Puttrich, Minister for European and Federal Affairs of the State of Hesse. Since Frankfurt is in Hesse, our exchanges focused on the opening of an Irish Consulate there next year. Brexit was also discussed.

My final official meeting was with the leader of the FDP (Liberal) Party, Christian Lindner who was particularly interested in the border in the context of Brexit and the possible effects on our economy.

During the visit I also conducted a number of press interviews and media briefings.

I met members of the Irish community in Berlin at a reception at the Embassy of Ireland where I launched “Ireland in Germany: A Wider and Deeper Footprint”, the report on the outcome of the comprehensive review of bilateral relations with Germany which I commissioned in December 2017.

I was honoured to give an address at the Humboldt University in Berlin on the theme of “Ireland, Germany and Europe: Shaping the post-Brexit EU”. The speech was part of the prestigious “Humboldt Speeches on Europe” series.

Germany is an indispensable partner for Ireland and that informed my decision last year to commission a review of our bilateral relationship. The review was published in April and we have begun to implement its recommendations, the first of which is to open of a career Consulate in Frankfurt. This was warmly welcomed by my German interlocutors.

During my visit to Germany, I was struck by the interest in and goodwill displayed towards Ireland by all interlocutors. The focus now is on implementing the recommendations of the review of bilateral relations, strengthening and deepening our relations with Germany.