Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Mark Rutte is a long-serving Prime Minister of the Netherlands and his steadfast solidarity and support for Ireland on the protocol issue and the Good Friday Agreement is greatly welcomed, as the Taoiseach said. The prime minister is very influential regarding future developments in the EU. Did the Taoiseach discuss with him the Conference on the Future of Europe? As we know, this concluded on 9 May 2022 and listed 320 measures and recommendations. It recommended treaty changes regarding making health a shared competence, switching from unanimity to qualified majority voting and increasing the powers of the European Parliament. How likely is it that these three matters will be advanced? I think it is unlikely that there will be any treaty change advanced as this issue is considered. Additionally, I am told that a detailed assessment of all the recommendations will be undertaken across all relevant Government Departments in the coming months, which will be overseen by the Department of Foreign Affairs. I ask that the House be kept informed of developments concerning this detailed assessment that will be overseen by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

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