Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.

I met the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Brussels on 11 April. Ireland’s membership of the European Union is of great importance to our national prosperity, well-being, and indeed, to our sense of identity and I undertook an early visit to Brussels as a signal of my commitment to continuing our excellent and co-operative relations with all of its institutions. My meeting with President von der Leyen took place on the same day I met the President of the European Council and the President of the European Parliament, that is, the three presidents of European institutions. The meeting with President von der Leyen covered many of the significant issues that are currently on the EU’s agenda. We discussed the very worrying situation in Ukraine and the country’s urgent need for continuing financial support. I conveyed the same message to President von der Leyen as I did to President Zelenskyy when I spoke to him, that is, the Irish Government remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and will continue to assist in whatever way we can, consistent with our policy of military neutrality. Ukraine is fighting not just for its own territorial integrity and sovereignty, but for the shared fundamental European values of democracy and freedom. President von der Leyen and I agreed that Ukraine’s future lies within the European Union. I expressed my thanks for the work the Commission is doing in that regard and I expressed my hope that formal negotiations with Ukraine can begin under the Belgian Presidency of the European Council.

On the Middle East and on Gaza, I again expressed my very strong wish, and that of the Irish people, to see an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza. I acknowledged and thanked her for her role in ensuring that the EU aid to UNRWA remained in place. In such a desperate situation, the role UNRWA plays in Gaza, as well as in the West Bank and elsewhere in the region, is indispensable.

We also discussed the Single Market and the need to ensure the EU’s competitiveness. Without economic prosperity, Europe will not be able to fund its policy ambitions into the future. Ensuring a deep and strong Single Market, built on a level playing field for citizens and enterprises, coupled with an ambitious, rules-based trade agenda, is therefore essential. A vibrant and sustainable farming sector is also a vital part of the EU’s future economic and food security. I expressed my view that we need to do more to support the farming and agricultural sector, which is currently facing significant pressures. I welcomed the conversation we had about not deciding whether you are on the side of climate or on the side of farmers but the need to have both food security and to recognise that there is a climate emergency. The EU is working quickly to address the concerns of Europe's farmers and to implement measures that will allow that greater flexibility while also ensuring our environment is protected. President von der Leyen and I also agreed that it is in the EU’s strategic interests to ensure a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between the EU and the UK. President von der Leyen and I also met at the special meeting of the European Council on 17 and 18 April.

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