Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish everyone a good morning. I thank Deputy Haughey for facilitating me; I have to go to the Chamber for a debate on my group's Private Member's motion this morning. I thank Ms Nolan for the presentation. It gives quite a detailed explanation of the work programme for the remainder of this Commission's tenure. I have just a few questions.

At the end, Ms Nolan spoke about the mid-term review of the multi-annual financial framework. Ursula von der Leyen included the newer areas that require European funding, including support for Ukraine and bolstering the Union's capacity to respond to economic and geopolitical instability, humanitarian crises, natural disasters and so on. The next section talks about an "adjusted proposal for new own resources". Does Ms Nolan have any details on that? Is it a draft proposal? Obviously, it is. What are the essential elements of it? If Ms Nolan has them, will she please share them with us?

Also in the context of financing, when I was looking at the part of the opening statement that deals with the European Green Deal, it struck me that there is a lot of talk about what needs to be done but there is no mention at all of the funding required to achieve this green deal and to fight climate change. One specific issue that caused a lot of debate and discussion nationally was the nature restoration law. That is an example of highly significant legislation for which there is no committed funding whatsoever. That law would signal the most extensive land-use change we could envisage but there is no word on funding for it. Is Ursula von der Leyen really looking at funding in respect of the issues she has highlighted under the mid-term review? Is there any appetite within the Commission for looking at funding aspects of the European Green Deal?

My next question is on the new pact on migration and asylum. Ms Nolan said that discussions are ongoing. Insofar as she can, will she very briefly let us know how close we are to an agreement and what issues remain outstanding?

The joint European degree is an interesting proposal. I had not heard about it before. The last thing I remember in this area is the legislation on recognition of qualifications. If I am correct, that only applied to certain areas. Does this proposal expand it to other areas? Is that what is being looked at here?

While I do not really expect Ms Nolan to comment on this and while I need to look at it a bit more closely myself, I will also mention the critical raw materials club the Commission is speaking about. I know legislation on critical raw materials was recently passed in the European Parliament. I expect that has now gone to trilogue. Where I come from, one of our concerns relates to the use of cyanide in gold mining. As far as I know, that is on the list of critical raw materials. However, I am only raising the issue and do not expect a comment because it is quite a detailed issue and, to be honest, I need to do a little bit more research into it myself. I thank the witnesses and I apologise that I will have to leave after their comments.