There has been a call for a complete audit to be carried out on the effects to human rights issues of people north and south of the border that could be caused by Brexit.
The implications of Brexit on human rights provisions in the Good Friday Agreement are being examined in a civic dialogue event at Maynooth University.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, who is convening the "all-island dialogue", has said it will be an "extremely valuable" exercise.
Mr Flanagan expressed serious concerns over the implications of Brexit for those seeking equal status, enhanced employment legislation and a whole range of other measures.
Speakers at the conference also questioned how the European arrest warrant mechanism would operate between Northern Ireland and the Republic when Brexit happened.
Issues such as the peace accord's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights will be assessed, as will the potential impact on human rights commissions on both sides of the border.
"As a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government takes with the utmost seriousness our duty to ensure that all provisions of the agreement are upheld and secured throughout the process of the UK's exit from the European Union," Mr Flanagan said.
"Today's sectoral dialogue is an extremely valuable opportunity to hear directly from experts and practitioners on how the human rights provisions in the Good Friday Agreement should best be protected and upheld throughout the Brexit process.
"The Good Friday Agreement is a shared framework to uphold and to utilise as we work together to manage the implications of Brexit."
The event is one of 14 ministerial-led events on different issues related to Brexit.
"The detailed work of Government departments and agencies has been greatly enriched by a series of all-island sectoral civic dialogues," said Mr Flanagan.
The event comes ahead of the second plenary sitting of the Government's main Brexit forum on Friday.
"The UK's decision to leave the European Union raises significant and complex issues for the island of Ireland," said Mr Flanagan.
"It is essential that the Government hears from all parts of society on how to manage Brexit collectively on an all-island basis."
