Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for their attendance and participation today. Ms Potzel spoke about solidarity and co-operation. She also spoke about freedom, and we cannot speak enough about the freedoms we enjoy as members of the European Union. Mr. de Almeida e Sousa spoke about resilience, which is something we can identify with on the west coast of this wee island with regard to looking out at the wild Atlantic Ocean. There is no direct equivalent word in the Irish language for resilience but there is an expression for resilience, which is teacht aniar. I do not know whether it came from west Kerry, Connemara or Donegal but when people woke up on Monday morning, looked out at the sea and tried to figure out where they would go from there during tough times, certainly resilience came to mind.

Digitisation is the theme of the German Presidency and it is very interesting to hear the continuity on this. The whole idea of having both witnesses today was continuity, and they also work closely with their Slovakian colleagues. Mr. de Almeida e Sousa said Portugal will work with the instruments developed by the German Presidency to continue that work. This is very important as we try to pave a way forward.

We are also conscious of the multi-annual financial framework and the funding for it from 2021 to 2027. Whatever work comes out of digitisation there are also questions within it on how we engage with citizens. Physical interaction varies between limited and non-existent. How do we put the European citizen at the centre of these deliberations and conversations? Senator Keogan used a practical example. We still have opportunities to do this. While people cannot meet and limited interaction is the conversation of the day, with digitisation people can still communicate.

The witnesses have emphasised a stronger and more innovative Europe.

With regard to the principle of subsidiarity, which has been flying around Europe for a number of decades, we are in that space now. We can work according to the principle of subsidiarity in that we can hear the voices of people in very rural and marginalised, peripheral areas because of digital opportunities but we need to back up our capacity and build resilience. All of us in this room have examples from our constituencies and countries of communities that are considering more innovative approaches. In my parish, Carrigart, we are building a digital hub. Towns such as Rathmullan in my county are looking at smart villages. There is an example of funding for smart villages throughout Europe but I believe we can build on the capacity a little more. I will have information on that. I do not require a response today but I can forward the information.

An old Irish saying I came across in Connemara a couple of years ago is, "Castar na daoine ar a chéile ach ní chastar na cnoic ná na sléibhte." "The people meet but the hills and the mountains do not." At present, we face an unbelievable dilemma: not alone do the hills and mountains not meet but the people do not meet either. Therefore, we have to work so much harder at connecting people. It is a matter of building resilience and connections. Ambassador Potzel, danke. Ambassador de Almeida e Sousa, obrigado. Go raibh maith agaibh. Thank you very much.