Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent meeting at the Foreign Affairs Council in particular regarding discussions on Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3812/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There was no discussion of Brexit at the Foreign Affairs Council as it was not on the agenda; Brexit is discussed at the General Affairs Council (Article 50).

I did meet with Michel Barnier in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council. We discussed the disappointing but not unexpected outcome of the 15 January vote in the House of Commons on the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

Both Mr Barnier and I are in agreement that what we need from the UK is clarity on how it proposes to move forward, and ultimately what it wants to achieve. The EU could then consider any next steps it might take. The EU continues to take a united approach and I thanked Mr Barnier for his unwavering support for Ireland.

Mr Barnier and I remain firmly of the view that the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal is to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement as endorsed by the European Council and agreed with the British Government. The European Council in December and the joint letter from Presidents Tusk and Juncker have provided reassurances with regard to the backstop. The European Council has also made clear that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be renegotiated and that the EU will not agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with it. The EU stands ready to work further on the Political Declaration as we look to the future relationship.

In light of the ongoing uncertainty in Britain, the European Council has asked that preparedness work at the national and EU level intensify, taking account of all possible outcomes. I have outlined Ireland’s approach in this regard to Mr Barnier, including planned legislation and other contingency measures. I also thanked Mr Barnier for the Commission’s continued helpful and constructive engagement in this area, and their understanding of the particular challenges faced by Ireland.

I also met with the British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. He updated me on the British political situation and the UK Government's perspective on possible ways forward. While expressing openness to looking carefully at any constructive proposals, I reiterated our and the EU's clear and firm positon on the backstop.