Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the ambassador who has come here from London. He is assigned to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Kosovo has a close relationship with Ireland. During the conflict Ireland was very involved, as the Chairman said with regard to Kerry. In Roscommon, which is a long way from Kosovo, there was a considerable amount of support and truckloads of supplies were sent out. It was a harrowing situation and was really bad around Easter 1998. We had great sympathy for the country's plight and there was a great response from the Irish people. Many people came to Ireland from Kosovo, settled here and have been very successful.

There is no question that its future is with the European Union. I was very involved with Montenegro when I was doing a report for the Council of Europe. When I was there I visited the camps where there were many people, including Roma, from Kosovo. What is the possibility of repatriating people who left during the conflict to Kosovo? What difficulties will arise? The camps in Montenegro were as good as camps can be. I have visited some of the camps and they were better than most. However, it is not a place to rear families. Most of the people want to return to Kosovo, but in the meantime Montenegro is looking after them as best it can with the help of the European Union and the Council of Europe. I do not know what role the ethnic groups that fled Kosovo during the conflict will have back in Kosovo in a situation where it enters the European Union. It is very important to have integration.

The ambassador's speech and views are important, and I believe this committee will be supportive of what Kosovo is proposing. We would be supportive of its application. Ireland has a very good relationship with emerging countries and I wish Kosovo well in the future.