Ms Noelle O'Connell:

I thank the Deputy. We will do the two-parter again. I could not agree more with him on the social programmes he mentioned. We are very aware that this is a key week in Brussels for the MFF negotiations. Crucial votes and conversations are happening, as we see in Strasbourg at the moment. We should never lose sight of the fact of the contribution CAP has made, not least in Ireland but also more broadly across the EU. The Deputy is definitely onto something regarding that ethos and how we go about promoting it during the EU's outputs, especially in the Presidency. The Danish ambassador also gave us a Presidency briefing yesterday. He spoke about the Danish Presidency priorities in housing, an efficiency in respect of the green deal, and a stronger Europe in a changing world as the key Danish Presidency priority, which again goes to some of the previous comments and observations made on Ireland's role, especially given the security and defence side of things with three quarters of data going through Irish waters.

Wearing my European Movement International vice-president hat, I chair the Europe in the world working group, which looks at this whole area of the EU on a global stage. I have to be honest and say there are challenges in navigating and getting consensus among 27 different member states and councils on such geopolitical issues, not least on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. It also looks at how Ireland positions itself in investing, increasing and supporting not just a social Europe, but also a secure Europe. The democracy shield and supporting and upholding civil society is highly important. As Ms Hayes mentioned, it is something on which we are going to be working with civil society groups in Ireland and across the EU to ensure there is a strong input into it.

In the next Irish EU Presidency, there is a big opportunity for us to look at, as mentioned, the whole area of AI and how we position ourselves because that conversation is happening. As we see from where people access their information, we cannot afford to be behind the curve and how we engage creatively with the public on these issues is of vital importance.