Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that relations with the Republic of Ireland are not detrimentally affected by the UK leaving the EU.

​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to continuing to build and strengthen our close relations with Ireland through regular ministerial contact, as evidenced by the recent visits to Ireland by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Northen Ireland, and joint commemorative events such as that to commemorate the Battle of Messines Ridge earlier this year. We believe strongly that maintaining close links with Ireland is of benefit to both countries.