As a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, I would like to first talk about the overall approach of the Irish Government before briefly touching on some of the criminal justice specific issues that are relevant to my current role as Minister for Justice and Equality.
Jimmy Martin, Assistant Secretary for International Policy (including Brexit matters) will elaborate on the key criminal justice issues in more detail in his speech later this morning.
Ireland’s overall positionI want to re-emphasise at the outset that Ireland remains a fully committed member of the European Union and we are fully behind European Commission Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and the mandate agreed by the EU27.
EU membership remains central to the success of our open, competitive economy and has been the foundation for much of the economic and social progress we have made over the last four decades.
We did not wish to see the UK leaving the EU but the decision has been made. We have strong relationships with both the EU and the UK and we are intent on keeping both.
Our national response to the impact of Brexit is unrelenting and we are under no illusions about the complexity of the situation. The potential impacts of Brexit are profound, with specific sectors such as agri-food particularly challenged.
Our own research on the medium to long term economic impact of Brexit confirms the results of other international analyses - that the UK will be negatively affected by Brexit, and that Ireland will in turn be particularly negatively affected by this.
Our Government’s enterprise agencies continue to work with companies, helping them to deal with Brexit – making them more competitive, diversifying market exposure, and up-skilling teams. We will also continue to support business and the economy through Government measures, programmes and strategies.
The magnitude of the impact in Ireland will of course depend critically on the nature of the UK's post exit arrangements with the EU, and at this point there is still a lot of uncertainty around what these will be.
From Ireland’s perspective, at all times since the Brexit vote, we have made our headline priorities clear:
- Minimising the impact of Brexit on trade and the economy
- Protecting the Northern Ireland Peace Process
- Maintaining the Common Travel Area
- Influencing the future development of the European Union
Ireland’s goal is to negotiate effectively as part of the EU27 with the objective of reaching an agreement that sees the closest possible relationship between the EU and the UK, while also ensuring a strong and well-functioning EU.
Ireland/Northern IrelandOf specific concern to us is the situation with regard to Northern Ireland and the Good
Friday Agreement.
As co-guarantor of the Good
Friday Agreement, the Government has a responsibility to ensure that the gains of the hard-won peace on the island of Ireland are protected.
While there will be a political border between Ireland and the UK, there should not be an economic border on the island of Ireland. The border needs to remain invisible.
The Irish Government supports the EU Guiding Principles paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland. It reflects our priorities and our concerns.
We must avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. Such a border would be a threat to the progress we have achieved together.
The hard-won peace on the island of Ireland has brought many dividends, including a vibrant cross-border economy with benefits for competitiveness, growth and jobs.
The border issue is not just economic but also about the lives and livelihoods of the people living in the region – it is fundamental to the peace process. There are on average 30,000 border crossings every day for work or study and many other personal journeys.
Ireland's unique situation will require tailor-made solutions. It is the UK’s responsibility to propose workable solutions when it comes to the border.
The particular challenges and disruption facing certain sectors given our geography and trading relationship with the UK will be particularly acute in the border region. The UK staying in the Customs Union and Single Market, or as close as possible to that, would of course be the best solution.