Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Táim sásta ceisteanna a fhreagairt ach tá ráiteas agam. Tá mé sásta aon cheist a fhreagairt. Gabhaim buíochas as na ceisteanna a fuair mé ó na Teachtaí. Tá siad an-tábhachtach agus níl aon dabht ach go bhfuil an Bhreatimeacht, an coróinvíreas agus an rialú reachtach in ard na n-aigní anseo i Seomra na Dála.

The Taoiseach outlined the agenda of the European Council next week, which is a wide-ranging one, including discussions on Brexit, Covid-19, climate change and the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, and recovery package. Those have been the main issues raised by Deputies here, and I am happy to speak about them briefly. I also want to speak about other issues as well because it is important to have them on the record. I refer to the southern neighbourhood, relations with Turkey and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, in particular.

I will address some of the issues which the Deputies raised, just to be absolutely clear. On Brexit, what is happening is that the EU negotiators are negotiating for the entirety of the Union. We have every confidence in those negotiators and we are in regular contact with the negotiating team. They know our priorities and the issue of fish is one of our top priorities. Deputies are right to say that. The problem here is not the Government and-or the negotiating team; the problem is Brexit. As Deputy Richmond said, there is no such thing as a good Brexit. The consequences of a no-deal Brexit for fishing would be utterly disastrous and worse than any agreement. In addition, the consequences of a no-deal Brexit for Britain in the context of fishing would be disastrous too, because it would not be able to fish its waters and its exports would be partially cut off. Britain's general trade would also be subject to major tariffs, which would have a devastating effect on all that country's industries, notably the sheep industry. It accounts for double the value of the fish industry, and 95% of production is exported to the EU.

I will contradict one thing Deputy O'Donoghue said. He seems to think that we found out on 24 November about an issue with processed beef. No, The Daily Mail found out about that issue on 24 November and published an article about it, which is perhaps when Deputy O'Donoghue found out. This is, however, an issue which has been widely flagged and one on which we are trying to seek resolution. It is an issue caused by Brexit, however. It is not the case that we want to ban sausages, but the EU has high standards of consumer protection and we want to ensure that our consumers are protected. That is why we have the rule regarding not allowing sausages or other prepared meats in from third countries. This is a difficulty. Any trade in either direction being removed is bad for business, as Deputy Cahill has often said to me. There is no doubt about that.

Brexit is bad for business but it is happening and our negotiators are working hard to ensure we get the best possible outcome to these negotiations. It is not fair if I do a running commentary on it, and I am not going to do that except to say that, by and large, I agree with almost everything said by colleagues regarding Brexit. All of us in this Dáil are on the one page and it is very welcome. All of us in the European Union are also on the one page and that gives us, in Ireland and the European Union, a strength and a resolve that is very welcome and to our benefit.

The issue of the rule of law was mentioned. This is an issue for the Ceann Comhairle. The Council of Ministers and the European Commission have suggested that national parliaments have discussions on the rule of law. I suggested to the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad this morning that we would do that. It is for the Dáil and the Business Committee to decide how business here is ordered, and not for me, but I would certainly welcome a discussion on the rule of law within the European Union. It is happening at European level, and Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and others have been very vocal about it. We need to be vocal as a country and I welcome that. We must be very tough in respect of the rule of law, because it is essential we stick to the values we profess.

On vaccines, I agreed with almost everything Deputy Boyd Barrett said. He hit out at the companies, unnecessarily, I think, but he is on the same page as I am on regarding the equity of access. Deputy O'Rourke mentioned that as well. We are part of the COVAX arrangement. When I was speaking to the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN, summit yesterday, I stated that this is Ireland's policy. It is no good, as I saw stated in a newspaper article, if a 20-year old healthy person gets the vaccine here but a nurse in Africa does not get it. There is no doubt that the Government is of that view. The Government obviously has responsibilities here and it will be carrying them out. Deputy Harkin asked when will the vaccine be distributed, but that is a matter for the Department of Health.

The European Medicines Agency, EMA, is still checking the scientific research and the clinical trials with a view to having these various vaccines approved before the end of the year, I hope. It is not going to rush into that immediately, however, and I think that people will be happy that full and proper testing of the vaccines is taking place. No doubt the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health will be giving ongoing updates. We are, however, working hard at European Union level, including yesterday at the General Affairs Council, GAC, on the issue of Covid-19 co-ordination. It is another example of the European Union coming together and being of benefit and of greater value to the citizens of the Union. We would have been in a much different place were it not for the fact that the European Union is working together on Covid-19.

Turning to the issue of security and counterterrorism, at their videoconference on 19 November, EU leaders expressed solidarity with France and Austria, as did I, in light of the shocking terrorist attacks which took place recently in those countries. They agreed that a discussion on terrorism, and on measures to counter terrorism, should be on the agenda of the next week's European Council. Work on this issue is also taking place in other Council configurations, including the Justice and Home Affairs, JHA, Council. Today, EU justice ministers are focusing on hate crime. The European Commission is expected to publish proposals for an EU agenda on counterterrorism on 9 December.

Ireland supports a comprehensive response to international terrorism, grounded in full compliance with international law and human rights. We have been broadly supportive of the counterterrorism measures discussed to date. Ensuring respect for human rights and for the rule of law in the development of any counterterrorism policy will continue to inform our approach ahead of the discussion at the meeting of the European Council next week.

We will also be discussing the issue of our southern neighbourhood. The EU and its southern neighbourhood are deeply connected by economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The region currently faces some significant challenges, including conflict in Libya and Syria. What results from those conflicts affects us all. There is also a severe economic crisis in Lebanon. These events have a direct impact on the EU. As with the rest of the world, of course, the EU’s southern neighbourhood is also suffering the health and economic consequences of Covid-19.We are committed, therefore, to assisting the southern neighbourhood through our neighbourhood policy, which will be bolstered by the launch of the new neighbourhood, development and international co-operation instrument, NDICI, under the new MFF. The aim of the NDICI is to bring greater coherence to EU co-operation.

Moving on to the issues of Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean, at the European Council in December, leaders, including the Taoiseach, will return to discuss EU relations with Turkey and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, as agreed in October. Since then, statements made by President Erdogan of Turkey during his visit to Northern Cyprus last month, advocating the permanent division of the island, have only added to the tensions in the region.

The only viable solution for Cyprus remains reunification based on a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation with political equality, on the basis of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Similarly, maritime disputes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea must be addressed through dialogue and negotiation.

It is disappointing that Turkey has not taken advantage of the European Council’s offer of a positive EU-Turkey political agenda. I note the humanitarian help that some EU member states gave to Turkey during recent difficulties.

We continue to hope that these issues can be resolved through dialogue. If Turkish behaviour does not change, however, the European Council will have to consider further restrictive measures. We in Ireland show our full solidarity with Cyprus and Greece, and we thank them for their extraordinary solidarity, as also shown by all members states, during the Brexit process.

At the meeting next week, leaders may also discuss other current external relations issues. Preparations for the meeting are ongoing and will be finalised by the General Affairs Council on 8 December, which I will attend virtually. Yesterday, I participated in an informal meeting of European affairs ministers, also by videoconference. This meeting included a discussion on our response to Covid. These discussions are very useful to see the work the European Commission is doing to co-ordinate our efforts and to see what other member states are doing in their Covid response. This is all new to governments and administrations all over the European Union. Ireland is doing quite well, and while we are learning lessons from other countries, they too are following some of the approaches we have taken.

It was very important that yesterday's meeting also included a discussion with young leaders from across Europe on the Conference on the Future of Europe, which Deputy Haughey mentioned. We also discussed climate action, EU democracy and digital issues.

The Taoiseach will report to the House in the week following the European Council. We sincerely hope and expect that there will be an agreement on Brexit by then in everybody's interests: in Ireland's interests, in Britain's interests and in the European interests. If it does not happen by 31 December, to answer Deputy Berry's point, there is no mechanism currently for either side to extend the process. This is it. I strongly urge people to look at the gov.iewebsite where there is an extraordinary range of information on Brexit, including points that have been there for a long time, which Deputy O'Donoghue has incorrectly said were discovered on 24 November. The information is there and we all have a responsibility to play our part: Government to impart the information, which we have done, and businesses and those affected to absorb the information and use it. Brexit means change, whether there is a deal or no deal. This is the message we need to hammer home.

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