Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the fundamental point of the Government's support for Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker's bid to become President of the European Commission, will the Minister of State indicate whether the Taoiseach held discussions with Mr. Juncker prior to his appointment? If so, did he seek to secure his support for Ireland's case for significant relief on bank-related debt? Did the Taoiseach and Mr. Juncker discuss that specific point prior to the appointment of Mr. Juncker? Did they discuss Ireland's urgent need for relief and if such engagement took place, what was Mr. Juncker's response? Mr. Juncker has not given any indication of his views or perspective on implementing the agreement that, according to the Government, marked a seismic shift in the European Union's position on debt relief and the separation of sovereign and bank debt. We were told Ireland would obtain debt relief.

Will the Minister of State outline in more detail the Government's position on the climate change agenda at European level? The Taoiseach made somewhat ambiguous remarks last night on Ireland's climate change targets. Are we pulling back from previous targets? The final communiqué is also somewhat ambiguous on climate change. In what direction is Europe heading on this issue?

What are the Minister of State's views on Ukraine, on which we heard different perspectives this morning? Does he agree that it is offensive to suggest there is some degree of moral equivalence between the behaviour of Europe and Russia? The European Union did not annex any part of Ukraine and its decision to enter into association agreements with countries such as Moldova and Ukraine is not an offensive or a mischievous strategy but a sensible one in terms of the EU and its neighbourhood. I am struck by the Sinn Féin position on this issue, which is essentially one of support for an imperial power partitioning another country. Likewise, I was struck by some of the comments of Deputies Clare Daly and Richard Boyd Barrett who become animated - correctly - about many injustices in other parts of the world but are silent on Russia's behaviour in areas such as freedom of speech and protection of basic rights, even for its Russia, not to speak of Ukrainian citizens.

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