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

One of the Government's Presidency objectives is to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the multi-annual financial framework. The Tánaiste hopes this objective will be met by the end of the Presidency in June. How realistic is that timescale?

The Tánaiste referred to the meeting on 22 April which resulted in an update on negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework. There was general agreement on making efforts to find a compromise with the European Parliament. Where specifically can compromises be made? Will the German elections cause difficulty in coming to an agreement on the budget?

The Tánaiste referred to seeking agreement on legislation underpinning the funding programmes in order to ensure new programmes such as the youth guarantee programme could start on time in January. How important is it that we secure the budget? Is it possible to separate the programme from the budget? What is the timescale for the rolling out of the programme in January?

The Tánaiste talked about the enlargement process and the positive developments in some countries such as Kosovo and Serbia. Yesterday, I raised with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Lucinda Creighton, the problem of slow progress in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Most people's main worry is that if a party is left out of the process or is perceived as being left behind, it creates instability or greater instability in the region.

The Tánaiste mentioned Syria. There are some 500,000 Palestinian refugees already in Lebanon, to which people went during the conflict in Iraq. The latest figure for Syrian refugees is huge. What exactly is the European Union doing to support the Lebanese authorities in this regard? Historically, there has been instability in the region. Yesterday, I alluded to the impact that the arrival of 500,000 refugees in Ireland in a two year period would have. Something similar is happening in Lebanon. The Tánaiste was in Jordan and Turkey, but one does not hear what the European Union is doing to support Lebanon.