Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Returning to what I was saying, we can talk about Ukraine and how that situation came about. On the peace process and necessary negotiations in that regard, can the Minister of State outline Ireland's view of how the European Council sees that process developing? What role will Ireland play?

I note in the conclusions that the European Union will now ban all goods that it can prove came from Crimea. This is a point Deputy Boyd Barrett was making in response to Russia's takeover of the region. It is amazing that the European Union can do this in the case of Crimea, and yet it cannot do it in the case of the Palestinian-Israeli situation where, for instance, there are illegal settlements and the occupation of land. Is it a little strange that we can do it in the case of one region and we cannot do it in the case of another? That raises a number of questions. It comes across as hypocritical.

On climate change, on the last occasion I suggested the creation of a register of European multinational companies, some of which are involved in land-grabbing around the world. Did that arise on the agenda? Was there any discussion in that regard?

The Taoiseach, in his speech, spoke of new strategic guidelines in justice and home affairs. It is about the process we are going through. He stated, "The overall priority of the new guidelines is to consolidate and implement the legal [aspect]". I ask the Minister of State to read that paragraph. It states:

We must support this emphasis. It is important that there are periods when one reflects on what has been done already and on what tools are available to one. That allows one to consider if one is using them correctly and to maximum effect.

What does that mean? This is a speech that is supposed to explain what was going on at a meeting, and it is gobbledygook. Perhaps I am reading it out of context.

The process is supposed to inform us of what went on and what the Government said. I presume that is the purpose of this process. If the Minister of State cannot reply today, perhaps he could respond at some stage. Would he agree we need to review this process of statements from the group leaders and the question and answer session? One does not get a sense of what happened. It is important, not for our benefit but for the listeners at home, that we gain a sense of what goes on at these meetings, what they are discussing, who agrees with what, what are the flaws, what are the agreements and in what direction we are taking.

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