Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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57. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the EU ministers discussed extending the longer period of transition by consent instead of a hard Brexit on 31 October 2019. [38266/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the transition period runs to December 2020. It can be extended once, by mutual agreement of the EU and the UK, for up to two years. The decision to extend must be decided by the Joint Committee, established under the Withdrawal Agreement, before 1 July 2020.

As the transition period is provided for under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, it will not apply in the case of a no deal Brexit. In this context, such an extension has not been discussed by Ministers.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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58. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there have been written proposals circulated from Prime Minister Johnson in relation to alternatives to a disorderly Brexit. [38267/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Contacts between the UK and Commission Taskforce are continuing. Michel Barnier met Steve Barclay in Brussels on 20 September where they had a discussion on the state of play of the ongoing Brexit talks, both in relation to the backstop to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and the Political Declaration on the Future Relationship. Following the meeting the Commission reiterated their position that it is essential that there is a fully workable and legally operational solution included in the Withdrawal Agreement and that the EU remain willing and open to examine any such proposals that meet all the objectives of the backstop.

The UK side submitted a series of documents to the Commission Task Force on 18 September, characterised as confidential technical 'non-papers' they do not constitute formal proposals as such. Technical work on the basis of the documents will continue next week.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the request made by the Prime Minister of Finland to the UK to submit its written alternatives on Brexit to the European Commission and Council by 30 September 2019; if the matter was discussed with him beforehand; and his views on same. [38842/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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We note the call, on 18 September, by the Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne to Prime Minister Johnson to produce his proposals in writing to facilitate discussions, by the end of September.

It remains the EU’s position that the best way to ensure an orderly Brexit remains through the Withdrawal Agreement and that the backstop is the only viable solution on the table that avoids any physical infrastructure and related checks and controls, fully protects the Good Friday Agreement and North-South cooperation, and preserves the all-island economy, as well the integrity of the EU Single Market and Ireland’s place in it.

The EU is however, willing and open to examine any such proposals that meet all the objectives of the backstop. This point was reiterated by Michel Barnier on 20 September following his meeting with UK Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay.

As I have stated on a number of occasions, the onus is on the UK to bring forward workable and legally operational solutions as soon as possible, if a deal is to be reached