Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if work has been undertaken in relation to putting in place new formal structures for dialogue between Britain and Ireland in the post Brexit era in view of the fact that they are our nearest neighbours and co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27999/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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While the UK’s decision to leave the EU has serious implications for Ireland, we maintain a strong and constructive bilateral relationship with the UK. We are fully committed to developing and enhancing this relationship over the coming years. Additionally, we will work to secure the closest possible positive relationship between the UK and the European Union.The Good Friday Agreement, of which the Irish Government is a co-guarantor, is the indispensable framework for providing stable, inclusive, power-sharing government for all the people of Northern Ireland and for sustaining our interlocking relationships on and between these islands – within Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland and, indeed, between the UK and Ireland. A number of channels for ongoing dialogue and cooperation between the Irish and British Governments exist, and will continue after the UK leaves the European Union. The Good Friday Agreement provides for important institutional cooperation on an east-west basis through the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) and the British Irish Council (BIC).

In addition, the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) brings together elected representatives from the Oireachtas, Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Scottish and Welsh devolved assemblies.

The British Irish Council continues to work on areas of shared importance, with the Taoiseach and Minister Murphy attending the most recent British Irish Council Summit meeting in Guernsey last week. Three of the four British Irish Parliamentary Assembly Committees carried out inquiries into the consequences of the UK exit from the EU for various sectors across this island in the last year, meeting with practitioners and stakeholders to hear evidence and further the discourse around this issue of primary importance.

Other channels of contact and cooperation have developed over the years as the relationship between these islands has grown closer. For example, in 2012, a process was established involving summits between the Taoiseach and the UK Prime Minister, supported by a Joint Work Programme managed at official level by the heads of all Government departments in Dublin and London.

These structures have shown their value and will continue to evolve in response to the changing circumstances. In addition, we will also explore other avenues to maintain the “habit of cooperation” that currently exists where Irish and UK Government Ministers regularly meet their counterparts and work together in Brussels on a range of EU matters. This deeper working relationship should allow for cooperation across a broad range of issues of shared interest.