House of the Oireachtas

The House of the Oireachtas has been monitoring the implications for Ireland of UK withdrawal from the EU.

Playing prominent roles are:

The Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (CIGFA)

The Committee on European Union Affairs (CEUA)

Seanad Special Committee On The Withdrawal Of The United Kingdom From The European Union (SSC)

Key activities relating to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland are listed below.

Date	Committee	Subject	Notes
09.11.2022	CEUA	Oral Evidence: EU-UK relations and the implementation of the TCA and the Protocol	Committee heard from Professor Katy Hayward and Professor David Phinnemore from Queen's University Belfast, Professor Peter Shirlow from University of Liverpool and Dr Christy Ann Petit and Dr Ian Cooper from Dublin City University on EU-UK relations, the implementation of the TCA and the Protocol.
22.09.2022	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement	Committee first heard from Chief Commissioners of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Sinéad Gibney, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Alyson Kilpatrick and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland Geraldine McGahey; then from SDLP MP Claire Hanna and Alliance Party MP Stephen Farry on the topic of UK-EU relations and implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol.
09.03.2022	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Post-Brexit Relations with Scotland	Committee heard from Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Roberts regarding relationships between Ireland and Scotland post-Brexit.
26.01.2022	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Special EU Programmes Body	Comittee heard from Irish Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath and officials regarding PEACEPLUS and the work of the SEUPB.
16.12.2021	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and Foyle Port	Committee heard from Paul Clancy, Chief Executive Officer for Londonderry Chamber of Commere and Aidan O'Kane Director of Allstate NI regarding businesses in the north-west region. The discussion covered the implications of the Protocol.
09.12.2021	SSC	Report: Final Report on the Impacts of Brexit	Seanad Special Select Commitee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU Final Report on the Impacts of Brexit.
24.11.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Update on Withdrawal Agreement, Protocol and TCA	Committee heard from Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, alongside Karl Gardner, Director of the EU-UK unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs, about the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Protocol and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
15.11.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Engagement with Maroš Šefčovič	Committee heard from European Commission Vice-President and EU Co-Chair of the Joint Committee, Maroš Šefčovič, about the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Protocol and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
10.11.2021	CEUA, SSC, CIGFA	Oral Evidence: Exchange of Views on Protocol with House of Lords European Affairs Sub-Committee	A joint session held with the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, the Joint Commitee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU from the Oireachtas and representatives from the House of Lords European Affairs Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
02.11.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Impact of EU-UK TCA: Economic and Social Research Institute	Committee heard from Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Director, Alan Barett, and ESRI Associate Professor, Martina Lawless, on the impact of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the Irish economy, alongside analysis of wider aspects of Brexit including the Protocol.
19.10.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Cross-Border Healthcare Directive (Resumed)	Committee heard from officials from the Department of Health - Emma-Jane Morgan and Jonathan Patchell - and from the HSE - Catherine Donohoe - about the operation of cross-border healthcase since the end of the Brexit transition period. Committee also heard from Medicines for Ireland Chairperson, David Delaney, and Vice-Chairperson, Padraic O'Brien, on medical supplies in Ireland post-Brexit.
12.10.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Dispute Resolution Mechanism	Committee heard from officials from the EU division in the Department of Foreign Affairs - Director General, Maeve Collins and Directors of the EU-UK unit, Deirdre Farrell and Karl Gardner - about the dispute resolution mechanisms provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA.
06.10.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Northern Ireland Protocol	Committee heard from Centre for Cross Border Studies Director and Convenor of the Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation, Anthony Soares; Brexit Policy Officer with the Irish Environmental Network, Aoife Ní Lochlainn; CEO of Longford Women's Link, Tara Farrell; and President of the Irish Association, Stephen Douds, on the implementation of the Protocol and related issues.
28.09.2021	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: Engagement with Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation	Committee heard from representatives from the Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation: Convenor of the Group Anthony Soares; CEO of Longford Women's Link, Tara Farrell; Brexit Policy Officer at the Irish Environmental Network, Aoife Ní Lochlainn; and Director of the Northern Ireland Youth Forum, Chris Quinn.
08.07.2021	SSC	Report: Interim Report on the Impacts of Brexit Oral Session: Report Launch	Committee launches its interim report setting out the impacts of Brexit on the island of Ireland based on evidence received thus far. Committee members presented the report at a dedicated public session.
23.06.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland	Committee heard from representatives of the UK House of Lords Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland.
15.06.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: TCA, NI Protocol and UK-EU Relationships post Brexit	Committee heard from EU Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union, Mairead McGuinness, on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the Protocol, and EU-UK Relationships post-Brexit.
14.06.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Impact of Brexit on Food and Drink Industry / Rail Connectivity Post Brexit	Committee heard from head of Irish Whiskey, William Lavelle, director of Dairy Industry Ireland, Conor Mulvihill and Chief Executive of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, Mike Johnston, about the impact of Brexit on the food and drink industry. Following this, the committee heard from the General Manager of Aughey Screens, Barry Aughey, about the potential for increased rail connectivity North and South post Brexit.
08.06.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Brexit Issues	Committee heard from Barry Andrews MEP. Ciaran Cuffe MEP, Colm Markey MEP and Maria Walsh MEP on issues surrounding Brexit, the Protocol and related EU affairs.
31.05.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Impact of Brexit on Higher Education Section	Committee heard from representatives from a range of bodies from across the Higher Education sector including – Erasmus+, the Higher Education Authority, the Irish Universities Association, the Technological Higher Education Association, the Dundalk Institute for Technology and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
24.05.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Citizens’ Rights in Northern Ireland Post-Brexit	Committee heard from deputy director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Daniel Holder, Chief Commissioner of the NI Human Rights Commission, Les Allamby, Chief Commissioner for the Equality Commission, Geraldine McGahey and Chief Commissioner for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Sinéad Gibney.
17.05.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Impact of Brexit on Irish and UK Businesses	Committee heard from the British Irish Chamber of Commerce – Director General, John McGrane, Director of Policy, Paul Lyman, and policy associate, Cillian Molloy – on the impact of Brexit on businesses in the UK and Ireland.
12.05.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Interparliamentary Relations after Brexit	Joint session on interparliamentary relations with members of the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for The Executive Office: Colin McGrath MLA, Martina Anderson MLA, Trevor Clark MLA and Emma Sheerin MLA.
05.05.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement	Committee heard from Barry Andrews MEP on the ratification of EU-UK TCA by the European Parliament, including on the approach of the EP to the Protocol in the process.
04.05.2021	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: Northern Ireland Economy (resumed)	Committee heard from University College Dublin economics professor, John FitzGerald, and Dublin City University economics professor, Edgar Morgenroth on problems and prospects for the Northern Ireland economy post-Brexit.
27.04.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Protocol on Northern Ireland/Ireland	Committee heard from Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney on EU-UK discussions regarding the implementation of the Protocol.
19.04.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: New and Future Relationship Between the UK and Ireland	Committee heard from Dáithií O’Ceallaigh, Chairperson of UK group at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) on the future of UK-EU relations with reference to implementation of the Protocol.
22.03.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Impact of Brexit on the Business Sector	Committee heard from representatives of InterTrade Ireland and the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association in the first session; and, in the second session, from Northern Ireland Retail Consortium Director, Aodhán Connolly and Confederation of British Industry Senior Policy Advisor, Stuart Anderson on the impact of Brexit and the Protocol on the business sectors on the island of Ireland.
08.03.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Cross-Border Healthcare Directive	Committee heard from officials from Irish Department of Health and Health Service Executive regarding the delivery of cross-border healthcare on the island of Ireland post-Brexit.
16.02.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Northern Ireland Protocol (Article 16)	Committee heard from European Commission Vice President & and EU representative on EU-UK Joint Committee Maroš Šefčovič.
09.02.2021	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Northern Ireland Protocol (Article 16)	Committee heard from Irish Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Thomas Byrne.
02.02.2021	SSC	Oral Evidence: Engagement with Committee for the Executive Office, NI Assembly on Impact of Brexit	Committee heard from Members of Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Executive Office on the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland; those present included: Colin McGrath MLA; Martina Anderson MLA; Emma Sheerin MLA.
09.12.2020	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Brexit Issues	Committee heard from UK Members of Parliament on EU-UK future relations: Hilary Benn MP; Nigel Mills MP; Sally-Ann Hart MP; Philippa Whitford MP; and Stephen Kinnock MP.
08.12.2020	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: The Northern Ireland Economy	Committee heard from University College Dublin economics professor, John FitzGerald, and Dublin City University economics professor, Edgar Morgenroth problems and prospects for the Northern Ireland economy post-Brexit.
21.10.2020	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Brexit Negotiations	Committee heard from Members of the UK House of Lords European Affairs Committee: Lord Kinnoull (Chair); Lord Wood; Lord Kerr; Baroness Couttie; Lord Oates.
15.10.2020	CIGFA	Oral Evidence: Brexit and the Implications for the Good Friday Agreement	Committee heard from Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney on the implications of Brexit for the Belfast ‘Good Friday’ Agreement. The session was also attended by Alliance, SDLP and Sinn Féin MPs.
07.10.2020	CEUA	Oral Evidence: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020	Committee heard from Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney regarding EU-UK negotiations on future relations and implementing the Protocol.