Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Listening to the debate this morning, it is clear this is a complex region, which raises a lot of complex issues, but I think we have a better understanding of it. I thank Dr. Visoka for his presentation.

I put a question to the previous speaker regarding resistance to these applicant countries. He made the point about fears that cheaper labour would come to the existing EU member states. What is Dr. Visoka's view on that? Does he think it is a factor? I now appreciate the resistance and where it is coming from and so forth, having listened to our debate, but I raise the specific point regarding cheaper labour.

This committee does not have a brief for NATO but could Dr. Visoka briefly outline NATO's role and ambitions in that region? That would add to our understanding of the situation.

To be clear in my own mind, is the ideal position that all these countries would join as a group?

How real is that fear of decoupling? I will leave it at that.