Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his telephone conversation with Prime Minister May on 5 November 2018. [46729/18]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent conversation with Prime Minister May. [48229/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 24 together.

I spoke by phone to the British Prime Minister, Theresa May on 5 November, when we discussed the current state of the Brexit negotiations. We both emphasised our commitment to avoiding a hard border and the need for a legally operable backstop.

The Prime Minister raised the possibility of a review mechanism for the backstop. I indicated an openness to consider proposals for a review, provided that it was clear that the outcome of any such review could not involve a unilateral decision to end the backstop.

I recalled the prior commitments made that the backstop must apply ‘unless and until’ alternative arrangements are agreed.

While I had no scheduled bilateral meeting with Prime Minister May at the Special Meeting of the European Council on November 25th, I did of course see her and my other European colleagues at the meeting.

I welcome the endorsement by the European Council of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, and approval of the Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship.

The Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland provides a guarantee that there will be no hard border on the island of Ireland. We hope that the backstop will never be used and we will continue to work closely with our EU partners during the negotiations on a future agreement that establishes alternative arrangements.