Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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257. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of discussions he has had with the leader of the DUP and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with regard to the impact of Brexit, the Northern Ireland Protocol and the degree to which all parties have seen possibilities for resolution of outstanding issues arising from Brexit. [27952/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland was negotiated and agreed by the EU and the UK to address the complex set of challenges presented by Brexit on the island of Ireland. An integral part of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the Protocol is the agreed way to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement, to avoid a hard border, and protect the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place within it.

I am in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, and other British Government Ministers, including the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Lord Frost, on issues related to Northern Ireland, including implementation of the Protocol. I am also in regular and ongoing contact with political leaders in Northern Ireland on these issues.

Throughout these engagements, I have continued to make clear that our shared goal must be full implementation of the Protocol to minimise the disruption caused by Brexit in Northern Ireland. I have welcomed the ongoing engagement between the EU and the UK on outstanding issues and stressed the need for these issues to be dealt with by the UK and the EU working together, in partnership.

I also continue to listen carefully to the genuine concerns that are there and will continue to advocate for appropriate flexibilities with regard to implementation within the framework of the Protocol so that the negative impact of Brexit on the people of Northern Ireland is minimised. This has always been the aim of the Protocol: to minimise the disruption which Brexit was inevitably going to cause for Northern Ireland.

We should also note opportunities presented by the Protocol for Northern Ireland – unique, full access to both the UK internal market and the EU Single Market of 450 million people. This presents real opportunities for trade, for inward investment, and for jobs which would benefit all communities in Northern Ireland. Politicians and stakeholders from across these islands should be highlighting that and helping to fully exploit these opportunities to improve prosperity across Northern Ireland.

In terms of the recent political developments in Northern Ireland, including within the DUP, I look forward to working with the next leader of the DUP, with the First Minister and deputy First Minister, and with all the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive, for the benefit of people in Northern Ireland.

It is important to note that North South co-operation, a central part of the Good Friday Agreement, is protected under the Protocol. The North South Ministerial Council brings our Government and the Northern Ireland Executive together to oversee and further develop this co-operation. While I regret that last week’s Council plenary was postponed, I look forward to a rescheduled meeting of the Council in the period ahead.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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258. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of the structures in place to facilitate ongoing north-south dialogue in a non-confrontational atmosphere in order to facilitate the ongoing needs of the peace process as envisaged in the Good Friday Agreement and the Stormont House Agreement. [30611/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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259. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of overtures he has had from the power sharing Executive of Northern Ireland or the UK Government in the context of north-south-east-west continuation of dialogue envisaged in the Good Friday Agreement or thereafter in the context of the need to make progress in respect of issues arising. [30612/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together.

The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements is an utmost priority for this Government. 

The Government regularly engages with and supports the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland through the mechanisms provided for the Good Friday Agreement, The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and the British Irish Council (BIC). The Government regularly engages with the British Government, including through the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference and the British Irish Council. The Government is also in regular ongoing contact with both members of the Executive and of the British Government.

The NSMC is essential to overseeing and developing North South co-operation on matters of mutual interest, including the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. The important work of the NSMC to develop co-operation on an all-island basis has resumed following the New Decade New Approach agreement. Two successful NSMC plenary meetings have now taken place, as well as a number of Sectoral meetings at Ministerial level, and progress continues across the breadth of North-South areas of co-operation. It is regrettable that it was necessary to postpone the plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council scheduled for 18 June, and we will seek to find an early date for that to be rescheduled.

The Government also looks forward to enhanced roles for the British Irish Council and British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC), as set out in the Programme for Government.

The BIC, which is provided for under the Good Friday Agreement brings together: the Irish Government; British Government; Scottish Government; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; Isle of Man Government; Government of Jersey and Government of Guernsey to “promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships among the peoples of these islands”. The Government has participated in a range of BIC meetings this year on a diverse range of topics including: collaborative spatial planning, housing, and digital inclusion. On Friday, 11 June 2021 the Government attended the 35th BIC summit in Co. Fermanagh.

The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing together the British and Irish Governments under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments.  The Agreement provides for meetings of the Conference concerned with non-devolved Northern Ireland matters on which the Irish Government may put forward views and proposals.  It also provides that the Conference may consider all-island cross-border co-operation on non-devolved issues. The Government will host a BIIGC on Thursday, 24 June 2021.

Members of the Oireachtas also engage with their counterparts in Northern Ireland through the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association, which is to hold a virtual preliminary plenary on 25 June with a view to holding an “in-person” plenary (hosted by the Ceann Comhairle) in September/October. Similar engagement with Parliamentarians happens through the British Irish Parliamentary Association, whose next plenary is scheduled for October 2021.

The Government strongly supports the Stormont House Agreement framework. It was agreed by both Governments and the political parties after intensive negotiations, and it should be implemented. Where, particularly with regards to legacy, the UK Government are proposing significant changes to that framework, we have made clear that these must be discussed and agreed by both Governments and the parties to the Northern Ireland Executive.

The achievements of the peace process must never be taken for granted and we will continue to work with both the British Government and the Northern Executive to protect and uphold the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements in all circumstances.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of any discussions he has had or proposes to have with the UK Government and the parties in Northern Ireland in the context of promotion of the power sharing Assembly with a view to ensuring the stability of the Good Friday Agreement. [31739/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The full implementation and effective operation of the Good Friday Agreement and all subsequent agreements is an utmost priority for this Government. 

The devolved institutions of the Agreement are essential so that the Assembly and power-sharing Executive can represent the interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland and address issues of concern.

The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement reached in January 2020 was a very significant shared achievement in restoring the power-sharing institutions of the Good Friday Agreement to operation after three years of their absence. As we have set out in the Programme for Government, we are working to ensure that the New Decade, New Approach agreement is implemented in full. 

The Government regularly engages with and supports the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland through the mechanisms provided for the Good Friday Agreement.

The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) is essential to oversee and develop North South co-operation on matters of mutual interest. The important work of the NSMC to develop co-operation on an all-island basis has resumed following the NDNA agreement. Two successful NSMC plenary meetings have now taken place, as well as a number of Sectoral meetings at Ministerial level, and progress continues across the breadth of North-South areas of co-operation.  It is regrettable that it was necessary to postpone the plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council scheduled for 18 June, and we will seek to find an early date for that to be rescheduled.

The Government also looks forward to enhanced roles for the British Irish Council (BIC) and British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC), as set out in the Programme for Government. The Government participated in a BIC meeting on Friday, 11 June 2021, where members of the Irish Government; UK Government; Scottish Government; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; Isle of Man Government; Government of Jersey and Government of Guernsey, met and discussed, among other issues, matters related to devolution. The Government will also host a BIIGC in Dublin on Thursday, 24 June 2021, where matters relating to developing the East-West relationship and related developments in Northern Ireland will be discussed with the UK Government.

The Government will continue to work closely on a North/South and East-West basis in support of the devolved power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland and the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements.