Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also join with other Deputies here in extending my sympathies and condemning the horrendous acts yesterday in Pakistan which resulted in so many deaths. While I attended yesterday's meeting of the General Affairs Council which prepares the European Council agenda, events were unfolding. I have no doubt that they will be discussed by the Taoiseach and others at the European Council meeting.

As the Taoiseach outlined, the investment package, which is using real public money to leverage private funding and will deliver billions of euro of capital projects across our Continent, featured prominently in our discussions yesterday and was broadly welcomed by all member states. While it was clear that much work needs to be done and done quickly to get the initiative off the ground, the support from around the table ahead of tomorrow's European Council was very encouraging. We also received a presentation from the Commission on its annual growth survey which situates the investment agenda within the context of an overall economic approach, including structural reforms and fiscal measures. The annual growth survey will also be the subject of important political exchanges in all relevant Council configurations over the coming months. Proposals for streamlining the European Semester, referred to by the Taoiseach, were also generally welcomed.

Deputy Martin asked that President Tusk be invited to Ireland. The Taoiseach has asked me to inform the House that both President Tusk and President Juncker will be invited to visit Ireland next year.

As I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on Sunday evening and Monday, I will briefly outline the foreign policy issues, other than Ukraine, which are likely to feature in discussions at the European Council. The European Council will return to consider the Ebola crisis and the EU's response, with an update from President Juncker and High Representative Mogherini. Unfortunately, the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa has not been arrested. The underlying trend is still upwards and the number of people affected is growing, particularly in Sierra Leone. At the same time, however, it is important to acknowledge that significant progress is being made. New Ebola treatment centres have now been opened in the three most affected countries, namely, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Ireland has helped in these efforts. The Ebola treatment centre in Port Loko, Sierra Leone, which began work earlier this month, was co-funded by Irish Aid. Discussions on Ebola at the European Council follow more detailed consideration of the issue by EU Development Ministers last week. The Council will, I hope, place a new emphasis on the importance of addressing longer term issues associated with the crisis, including resilience, poverty reduction and the capacity of the health systems in the three countries most affected. Ireland will continue to play its part, through the work on the ground of our embassy in Freetown and through financial support. This year, we are providing over €18 million directly and through NGOs to the countries in West Africa most affected by the crisis.

Although not formally on the agenda at this point, it is considered likely that the issue of foreign fighters, that is, EU citizens travelling to conflict zones, will be raised at the European Council following conclusions adopted in August. Unfortunately, international terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to global peace and security. The changing nature of this threat is illustrated by the participation of nationals from more than 80 countries in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria. Their involvement poses a direct threat to the security and stability of the region in which they are fighting. The skills they acquire in the conflict may be used to carry out terrorist activities elsewhere, including in their home countries. The August European Council called for the accelerated implementation of EU measures to stem the flow of foreign fighters. Significant developments since then include the establishment of a dedicated task force on foreign fighters and the adoption in October by EU Foreign Ministers of an EU strategy on counterterrorism and foreign fighters.

There has unfortunately been less progress in relation to an EU passenger name record directive, which would provide for the transmission of certain passenger name record data to police and security authorities for the purposes of combating terrorism and serious crime. The European Parliament has not yet passed this important proposal. The Minister for Justice and Equality has written to each of Ireland's MEPs encouraging them to support the proposed directive, as a tool of proven value in combating terrorism.

I thank Deputies for their contributions to this debate. I look forward to addressing the House again in January on the outcome of this tomorrow's European Council and I wish everybody a happy Christmas and a good break before we return in 2015.

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