Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In my initial commentary, I asked the Minister of State to give a fuller explanation to the House on what is exactly meant by “the European political community”. We know the French have this notion, which we were fearing, of a second tier of European membership. It seems to have morphed into this European political community. I would like to know, first, what the Minister of State understands by it and, second, what the Irish position is regarding it.

My second question was again raised during my comments. We have rightly been focused on the newer applicant countries, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, but there is a real issue now in advancing the status of the western Balkan applicants. Can the Minister of State go through specifically the position with North Macedonia and Albania and the status of Bosnia-Herzegovina right now?

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