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

This was the Taoiseach's first European Council meeting. As we have heard, there were several items on the agenda, including the Middle East and Ukraine. On Israel's war on Gaza, the European Council finally agreed, for the first time, to call for an immediate ceasefire, thus discarding the previous and wholly inadequate call for a humanitarian pause. It was also able to agree on the need for unhindered access for humanitarian aid at scale for Palestine. It seems that the brutal reality of the situation on the ground in Gaza was finally recognised collectively by all the EU leaders.

The European Council also considered, as we have heard, how to secure the economic prosperity of the EU. According to the Government press release at the time, the Taoiseach would be arguing for "a deeper Single Market; a more ambitious trade agenda, reduced administrative burdens for businesses, including SMEs; greater access to private investment to help build European enterprises; and a competitive, sustainable and resilient agricultural sector." It is very important that Europe's economy remains resilient and competitive, having regard to current global economic challenges. How was his economic message, that being the message in his press release, received? Is he satisfied that the EU is taking the necessary next steps to ensure ongoing economic growth in Europe?

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