Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his comments and questions. First, in terms of enlargement, Ireland has been consistently a supporter of the enlargement process, something which would have transcended Governments, given how it has transformed itself significantly through membership of the European Union over the past 45 years. There are three states, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro in the official accession process, and significant progress is being made in a number of the chapters in each country. There is still a significant way to go. I was glad to see that at the summit earlier this year timelines of 2025 were given for those countries to join. We need to work with and encourage them. Certainly in visiting them I got a sense that if we as the European Union do not engage with them, other larger powerful forces will. We need to continue to engage.

We are also talking about the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania. We had a lengthy and somewhat difficult discussion at the General Affairs Council last Tuesday where a number of member states had concerns that to open up the process to these two states would not be the right course given that they felt the states did not make enough progress in other key areas of reform. I was glad to see that agreement was reached. It was an important step in showing a European front, that we are open to this process and that we want possible member states to work with us to aim to become part of the European Union. It was a good signal to agree an overall framework to move forward. The two countries have not yet progressed as far as is possible. We need to keep negotiations and the process with Turkey open while, given the challenges we face, not moving it forward.

In terms of the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, I stress Ireland's priority is to ensure that our traditional forms of funding are maintained in terms of CAP, Cohesion, research and innovation, but we understand there are newer issues that need to be addressed. We will have much discussion about that in the months, and possibly years, to come.

The trade dispute was discussed but, as far as I am aware, it was not a significant item on the agenda. With the Council, there was a considerable agenda. From an Irish point of view, we do not want to see this escalate any further. The imposition of the counter-tariffs has taken it to the next stage, but we would hope that we would be able to reach an agreement and a settlement. The Commission is working on this. We have made clear our position that we want this to be resolved.

Eurozone reform is a topic that we thought would be opened up for much lengthier discussions last week. In the end, it was not. Ireland is clear in that our focus is on completing the Single Market, particularly in the area of services, the banking union and the capital markets union. Any proposed reforms that would require a referendum or change in those terms is not something that is a priority for us at present and not a direction that we are keen to go, but we are open to any proposed suggestions that may be put to us.

In terms of PESCO, I am sure there would not be any issue with these projects being raised on the floor of the House, although the Business Committee would have to find space for a mechanism through which to do that. The Minister for Defence would have to agree to it but I see no reason that could not happen. Our projects are very much focused on collaboration and peacekeeping, in particular, in terms of maritime surveillance. I saw a comment last week that throughout our entire membership of the European Union there has not been a day where we have not had peacekeepers working somewhere throughout the world. This is where we want to focus all of our efforts through our membership of PESCO.

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