Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am at one with Senator McDowell regarding Georgia. I made the point as strongly as I could to the ambassador when I met him last week, because it is a matter of grave concern. It has been raised at all levels within the EU, especially that alignment. As the Senator quite rightly stated, it is a mirror image of the Russian Federation.

With regard to the Windsor Framework, it is very important that it is voted on within the UK. The Prime Minister has given a commitment in that regard. It is a case of trying to achieve a fine balancing act between giving space and time to the DUP to make its determination and making progress when we have the wind at our backs, which we have right now. We are doing our best to try to encourage the UK forward and to keep selling it to their political system. Obviously, the EU will be moving forward with its ratification process. However, it is very important that what I have outlined is done. It is also important to so many of the communities within the UK, such as the farmers' unions and citizens in terms of the chambers of commerce. All those entities are very much backing the deal, which, hopefully, will give it a good tailwind.

On the Chairman's comments in respect of enlargement, rule of law issues are obviously critical. We see this with two countries, Hungary and Poland, going through the resilience and recovery plan and issues such as the independence of the judiciary being brought up. It is about trying to resolve those issues. Having the Commission withhold funding from those countries because they have not met the relevant criteria creates a major problem. That is why an absolute premium is put on rule-of-law issues and democratic backsliding and how we are conforming to transparency with members that are looking for candidate status or that are in negotiations. They must go through a rigorous plan. Obviously, that is one of the issues with Ukraine. We are very much engaged with trusted partners in trying to get so much aid distributed. A huge amount of reform has to take place in these countries before they can get the green light to become members of the European Union.