Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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First, I thank the Minister of State for her presence here today. It really is a busy time in Europe with the new Commission and the new Parliament. One gets the sense that there is a lot of development and change happening. We really appreciate the Minister of State's briefing here today.

I join her in congratulating Michael McGrath on becoming Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law. As we have heard from the presentations this morning, he has a difficult portfolio in respect of the enforcement of EU treaties. We wish him well. I suspect the ratification by the European Parliament of the Commission will no doubt have a few twists and turns yet but as that is not in our hands, we will see how that goes.

In the context of the political priorities of the Commission President and the EU in general, I am not sure when it was but arising from our visit to Brussels a while ago, it seems that security and defence definitely have gone up the agenda of priorities following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of another Trump presidency. Competitiveness and investment have also gone up the agenda. The Minister of State mentioned the publication of the Draghi report. It seems the issue of climate change is moving down the agenda. Perhaps that is just the political realities of the situation but I note the role of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group from Italy and the need to placate them. It is going to be an interesting dynamic in the months and years ahead.

My first question refers to the Draghi report, which talks about how the EU has fallen behind the US and is facing increasing threats from China. It talks about the need for a massive investment programme and the need for common fundraising, which Deputy Howlin touched on as well. The Minister of State mentioned that Departments also have a body of work here in Ireland to deal with that report. Are we ruling anything out in relation to common fundraising at this stage? We have had the experience of NextGenerationEU, the borrowing for the Covid-19 pandemic and so forth. I am sure there are some red flags for Ireland in that regard. Regarding our national interest, and perhaps the Minister of State will be reluctant to say, are we ruling anything out in relation to possible common fundraising at this stage?

Returning to the increasing emphasis on Europe's security and defence, the need for strategic autonomy and strategic compass and all of that, I acknowledge the Minister of State has dealt with that in response to some questions from Deputy Howlin. In her experience as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, do the Minister of State get a sense that Ireland's traditional policy on military neutrality is being questioned in Europe? Mr. Tony Connelly was previously before the committee and when we talked about this, he said he did not get the sense that our military neutrality is being questioned or that there is some tut-tutting going on about it. I would be interested in the Minister of State's perspective on this. Is there a willingness to facilitate our tradition in that regard? That is my second question. Again, it is probably not that important but it is important enough, having regard for all that is going on at present. We have dealt with the situation in Lebanon and Gaza.

There have been a number of articles recently in the media about Ireland's influence in Brussels and our traditional network of officials across the EU institutions, particularly in the European Commission, and talk of retirements in the natural scheme of things. Is this something we should be worried about? What do we propose to do to encourage Irish people to join and work for the European institutions? It seems to be an issue that has been flagged as something we need to deal with.

I do not know if I should mention this and give it more oxygen and publicity but the article by Eoin Drea in The Irish Times on 18 September, had a very negative view of Ireland and how we are perceived in the European Union. Generally speaking, the tone was that Ireland's stock has fallen substantially in Brussels. Has the Minister of State seen that article and what is her response to it? I thought that we in Ireland were really good Europeans and were really committed to the European Union, its agenda and enlargement, as the Minister of State mentioned, and so forth. The article was a terribly negative view of our position. What is the Minister of State's view on that?

I also congratulate the Minister of State on meeting the civic society groups in Hungary. It is a bumpy ride with the Hungarian Presidency. I am aware some other countries are boycotting Council meetings and so forth. The sooner it is over the better. Anyway, well done to the Minister of State for going and engaging with civic society groups.