Brexit Issues

Thursday, 19 January 2017

Questions (74)

Niall Collins

Question:

74. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the bilateral meetings she had with her European counterparts, outside of Council of the EU meetings, since the UK referendum to leave the EU took place in which the issue of Brexit and the unique challenges faced by the island of Ireland was discussed; the name of each European government ministerial counterpart, the meeting location and the date of each meeting, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2522/17]

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Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

As the Deputy will be aware, an extensive programme of engagement with other EU Governments and the EU institutions, including the Commission’s Brexit Negotiations Task Force, is under way across Government.

Since 24 June 2016, I have attended two formal meetings and one informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of Ministers, during the course of which I took the opportunity to also engage informally with my EU counterparts on issues of mutual interest, including the outcome of the UK referendum and the issues it gives rise to. Clearly one of the very purposes of the JHA meetings is to allow for ongoing engagement between Ministers across the EU.

I have also held the following bilateral meetings with Ministerial colleagues, and met with Michel Barnier, the Commission's Chief Negotiator in relation to UK exit on 12 October 2016.

Name of European Counterpart	Meeting Location	Date of Meeting
Rt. Hon David Davis,M.P., Secretary of State for Exiting EU	Dublin	8 September 2016
Rt. Hon James Brokenshire, M.P. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	London	1 November 2016
Minister Carmelo Arbela, Maltese Minister for Home Affairs and Security	Dublin	18 January 2017