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

I thank the Deputies again for their questions. I join Deputy Dillon in welcoming everyone who has come all the way from Achill. Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig an Dáil.

I wish to answer Deputy Dillon's questions on security of supply and price stability. We all agree and acknowledge that the best thing we can do to bring about price stability when it comes to energy and improving security of supply is shift to renewables, which cannot happen quickly enough for reasons of economics, security and climate. The main thing we compared notes on at the meeting in Moldova was the need for us to co-operate and share information because every country is now trying to do the same thing, that is, to build up infrastructure and build out renewables. There are limitations regarding the availability of metals, materials and qualified staff. If we do not work together and co-ordinate, all we will do is push up the price of everything and that is why it is important that we co-operate.

On undersea cables, I have not seen any particular proposal for an EU-PESCO programme or a NATO-led one, but that would be examined by the Tánaiste in the first instance. There are many undersea cables around Ireland, including off the coast of Mayo. They are very important for our communications, in particular. We want to ensure they are protected from anyone who might interfere with them.

We expect the retail price of gas and electricity to fall. Wholesale prices have fallen but, as Deputies will know, wholesale prices went up tenfold and retail prices did not. Therefore, there will be a time lag before prices come down.

Deputy Durkan asked about traditionally neutral states who had representatives present. Pretty much every country in Europe had someone present, with the exception of Russia, Belarus and Turkey. That is the difference between the format and the EU. I suppose you could divide the countries into two categories: those which, for very obvious reasons, want to join NATO, which are mainly countries not too far from Russia; and countries that are not very near Russia and do not feel the need to join NATO, including Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, San Marino, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Vatican. However, it was not really a topic of discussion in Moldova.

I want to be associated with Deputy Haughey's remarks on Moldova itself. Ireland favours further enlargement into the western Balkans. We are very proud that the last major enlargement happened during the Irish Presidency, under a Fianna Fáil Government. We are very proud that Ireland held the Presidency of the EU when the enlargement into central and eastern Europe happened. We cannot lower our standards for membership, and all criteria for membership have to be met, but I do agree that if we string this out and make countries in the western Balkans, in particular, wait too long, all we will do is help anti-European forces in those countries and malign state actors. We have to say to people in the western Balkans that if they implement the reforms necessary, their pathway to EU membership will be clear. I am glad that is the view of President Macron. It has been our view for a very long time. We think enlargement has been too slow.

Israel–Palestine was not a topic of discussion in Chișinău. We will, of course, consider any application for asylum on its merits. All applications are considered individually. My understanding is that fleeing conscription is taken into account in asylum applications but is not in itself an automatic guarantee that refugee status will be granted.

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