Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details that were agreed or partially agreed regarding the withdrawal treaty at the General Affairs Council and Foreign Affairs Council meetings in October 2019. [43225/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Negotiations on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union were not on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 14 October. 

I attended the meeting of the GAC in Article 50 format held on the morning of 15 October, during which the EU’s Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier briefed Ministers on the status of the then ongoing negotiations between the Taskforce and the UK Government. 

On 17 October, the European Council unanimously endorsed the revised Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration agreed between the EU and UK negotiating teams earlier that day.

Both sets of negotiators have worked long and hard to achieve this decisive progress, with compromises on all sides. Ireland has worked closely with Michel Barnier and his team, as well as with the UK, to help deliver this positive outcome.