Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste. Last night, it was reported that the unified patent court agreement reached by the Council will require a referendum. Can he confirm whether that will be the case and can he outline the implications for the State's patent legislative procedures? Has a date been considered for this potential referendum?

With regard to the priorities for our Presidency, youth unemployment is high on the agenda and the Tánaiste referred to the youth employment package. One of the issues is whether members states will match their rhetoric on this issue with additional investment in direct or indirect supports aimed at getting young people back into work, training and education. What discussions has he had with his European counterparts on the issue of additional investment in measures to target job creation for young people?

A banking union is also high on the agenda. There have been mixed messages in recent weeks on the ongoing negotiations with the ECB on the promissory note and with our European partners on the use of the European Stability Mechanism, ESM, for the pillar banks. Earlier, the chairman of the European affairs committee in Germany said he had concerns about the promissory note discussions and the ECB overstretching its mandate. The Tánaiste and the Taoiseach have been talking up the prospect of a deal whereas the Minister for Finance has been more circumspect and has highlighted the obstacles that need to be removed. Media commentary suggests a deal is further away than speculated. As part of the four presidents report last year, we are strongly urging the need for delivery on breaking the link between banks and sovereigns in the coming period. What is the Tánaiste's assessment of the state of play on both the promissory note negotiations and the legal bank debt issue? What will be the consequences of a failure to secure a deal on one or both of these issues for our re-entry into sovereign bond markets?