Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

Conference on Future of Europe and Related Matters: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to make a number of observations and to pose a particular question to the Minister of State, in regard to which, if he does not have the detail, he might ask his officials to communicate with the committee.

EU solidarity has been rock solid around the entire Brexit issue and process. There has been no shortage of examples of EU representatives familiarising themselves with the real pinch issues for Ireland as a country, with a particular focus on the Border. The Dutch ambassador and the Danish ambassador came to Donegal. I know other ambassadors did too but I met the Dutch and Danish ambassadors when they were in the county. Angela Merkel took time out to meet people on the ground, including, for example, George Mills from Culdaff, a strong advocate for the hauliers, and Kathleen Gillespie from Derry who lost her husband during the Troubles. There was a concerted effort by representative voices throughout Europe and within the Commission to familiarise themselves with the main issues.

There were strong citizenship engagement platforms organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs. I do not know how meetings were held but there were a lot of them on a sectoral or issue-led basis. The citizens' engagement was specifically on the act of doing. As the Minister of State pointed out, there has to be a relevance to the discussion around the future of Europe. We can have town hall meetings to talk about the future but the future will be about current issues. There is no shortage of pinch points and relevant issues that we have to deal with for our citizens.

In opening up a discussion on the future of Europe we can get into very dangerous territory because people will question the validity and relevance of how it affects and impacts on their lives in the current times. I will give an example. The issue that is playing on the minds of hauliers is not Border checks, but an issue arising with regard to the certificate of professional competence, CPC. The majority of hauliers got their certification in England and they have been driving on that basis for decades but there is now an insistence that they retrain and undertake another certification of competence which may take up to six months. That costs money. Hauliers and people involved in the industry see this as a revenue-creating exercise and one short on common sense. I ask the Minister of State and his officials to follow up on this matter on behalf of the committee. This is an area in which we can instil confidence in terms of being responsive and active in the interests of hauliers who are going to be facing a number of challenges come 1 January. This is an added issue in respect of which we need to be responsive and vigilant. I ask the Minister of State to highlight this matter with his officials as one on which the Government will need to react swiftly.

The final issue I want to raise is one I raised a previous meeting, that is, the start-up relief for entrepreneurs, SURE, fund, which the Minister of State will know is a €100 billion loan fund to mitigate against unemployment risk as a result of Covid.

To date, €31 billion has already been disbursed to Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, Croatia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovenia, Malta and Latvia. I note there is an application by Ireland. Could the Minister of State confirm that figure? If he does not have the figure, could he get back to the committee on it? Most importantly, when will this funding be disbursed to Ireland? It is an important fund for temporary jobs and short-term jobs, especially as the PUP payment now will be stretched out until the end of March. We will need much more support post March as well.

The Minister of State mentioned an issue to do with the rule of law and the role of national parliaments. We asked the Commissioner, Mr. Didier Reynders, a question at a recent meeting on the rule of law about the publication of a report on the rule of law and the role of national parliaments. This issue was also raised by a number of parliaments and we will await feedback on that.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit arís as ucht teacht inár láthair inniu. Guím gach rath air agus ar a chomhghleacaithe uilig sna laethanta atá romhainn, laethanta atá iontach tábhachtach don todhchaí agus a bhfuil práinn ag baint leo. Gabhaim buíochas leo uilig.

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