Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with Deputy Ó Murchú in extending my sympathies to the family of Pat from Dundalk and I associate myself with the Deputy's remarks. I also welcome the Deputy's commitment to the Narrow Water Bridge, which President von der Leyen and I did not discuss directly. Having said that, I know the importance of the bridge to this country, to the Deputy's region and the constituency he represents. I also take seriously the points about timelines and delivery of that project. I am very happy to ask the relevant line Ministers to keep the Deputy up to date on this as well.

On Deputy Haughey's question, President von der Leyen and I discussed the importance of climate, the European Green Deal and addressing the farmers. At a European level, we have a more magnified example of what can sometimes happen in this country where people are asked to chose wrongly, bizarrely, sometimes by the commentariat, sometimes in this House, sometimes for people's own narrow political interests, if they are on the side of the climate emergency or on the side of the farmers. Actually, Government public policy has to be able to do more than one thing at a time. We have a climate emergency, we have a green deal at European level, and we have the nature restoration law for which the Deputy's own MEP colleagues and mine voted as well. That was the right call and history will judge that to be the right call. I believe President von der Leyen remains committed to the green deal. However, there is also a recognition at a European level that is now also at an Irish level, that there is a need to bring people with you by showing people the transition, how you can continue to have an agrifood sector and encourage young people to get involved in farming in a way that is environmentally sustainable. We had a good conversation on this.

I was pleased - and I can send the Deputy a note on this - that language was agreed regarding Türkiye and engagement. While the Deputy may well be right, and I think he is, regarding timelines for any future enlargement of the European Union in respect of Türkiye, it is important to the region and the stability of the European Union to have good relations.

I was pleased that there were EU Council conclusions in April in relation to that.

Anybody's tenure in any role has to be viewed in the round. At the start, the European Commission's position regarding Israel and the Middle East was not where it needed to be, to put it mildly. It is also important to remember that the European Council, European foreign ministers and others are those that provide the mandate in respect of these comments. There is an obligation on us all as European leaders to continue to advocate for an immediate cessation of violence in the Middle East.

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