Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have two-and-a-half minutes so I only have time to make a few brief comments. The first is on Ukraine. Just this afternoon we met the Ukrainian ambassador for an exchange of views. We discussed the continued state-sponsored abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia from occupied areas of Ukraine. This is a war crime of the most heinous kind, designed to strike terror into the hearts of Ukrainian parents. Is there any way forward on this matter?

We also discussed the weaponisation of food by Russia, with more than 17 ships waiting for safe passage from the Black Sea. Has any progress been made on that matter? Another issue discussed at the Council meeting was competitiveness and trade. We have the Net-Zero Industry Act, the European Critical Raw Materials Act and the state aid temporary framework. Last week we had President Biden here and I wonder if there was any discussion with him on the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on Irish business. How will the Irish Government use the EU response to make sure that Irish business does not lose out on the proposals from the US due to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022?

The following is an issue the Council did not deal with last March but dealt with back in 2011. It is an important issue for Irish citizens, namely, the workings of the cross-border healthcare directive. I worked on that directive as a Member of the European Parliament and my specific focus was on ensuring that all citizens could avail of this important EU benefit. It is especially important in Ireland, where we have such long waiting lists. In this context, I would like to recognise my colleagues, Deputies Michael and Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Collins, and others, who took practical steps to help ordinary people benefit from this initiative. Yet the Ombudsman's report, published today, said the HSE had an "unreasonable and inflexible approach" in administering this worthwhile scheme. Many people do not fully realise the value of this scheme and that regardless of your income people have equal access to treatment abroad. However, because of the way the HSE has operated it, some patients have had to fight to be reimbursed for legitimate costs they had incurred. Will the Minister of State take on board all of the recommendations from the Ombudsman's report?

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