Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 to 27, inclusive, together.

I hosted the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for a working lunch in Government Buildings on Thursday, 2 March. Ireland is currently marking 50 years of EU membership and Spain is advancing preparations for its Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year.

Both our countries have been transformed by our membership of the European Union. Shared EU membership has also enabled us to strengthen our bilateral ties so that the relationship between Ireland and Spain has never been stronger or more positive.

While Prime Minister Sánchez and I see each other regularly at meetings of the European Council in Brussels, his visit to Dublin allowed us to discuss in greater depth some of the challenges facing Europe and the world and how we can strengthen Irish-Spanish bilateral relations. We discussed current issues on the EU agenda, including solidarity with Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s attack, accelerating the transition to sustainable energy resources and ensuring a strong European economy into the future in the interests of our citizens.

One of the most significant achievements of the European Union is the Single Market, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year. Unlocking the full potential of the Single Market, including for services and in the digital space, is essential for Europe’s future competitiveness and prosperity. In particular, we must be ready to seize the opportunities and potential of the green transition, which means having the right framework conditions in place to bring abundant renewable energy resources to businesses and households at an affordable price.

I also took the opportunity to thank President Sánchez for Spain’s solidarity throughout the Brexit process. I briefed him on the potential of the Windsor Framework to help pave the way for the restoration of the institutions under the Good Friday Agreement and to bring about more positive relations between the EU and the UK. He briefed me on developments in relation to Gibraltar. I expressed Ireland's solidarity with Spain and our hope for a positive outcome to those negotiations. I also met President Sánchez last week at a meeting of the European Council in Brussels, and I am likely to meet him again at a Council of Europe meeting in Reykjavik in May.

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