Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome again the opportunity to address the House and especially the Government on the upcoming European Council meeting. The Minister of State set out a variety of issues that will be on the agenda but, as practising politicians, we all know the main agenda item will be the nailing down of the horse-trading deals on the main positions to be allocated for the next mandate. It seems that the three principal positions are already determined, with an expectation that the heads of government will re-nominate Ursula von der Leyen as the next President of the European Commission, continuing the role she has fulfilled for the past five years. It is likely that António Costa will be nominated as President of the European Council and I understand that a Balkan prime minister will be the High Representative for foreign policy, if things go as advertised.

I share the deep concerns about the attitude of the outgoing President von der Leyen. It is not right for anyone to seek to pressure Irish Members of the European Parliament - I am talking about our recently elected member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Aodhán Ó Ríordán - to support the nomination of President von der Leyen on the basis that it is in Ireland's interest. A commitment was given and will be fulfilled by him and should be by others who sought a mandate from the Irish people to sit in the European Parliament.

The complexion of the EU Commission when all member states have nominated will be determined by the changing political balance in member states. That will have a significant impact. The European elections were probably not as bad as some of us feared insofar as the centre ground held reasonably well, but there is a changing complexion in a lot of member states, which will have an impact on the people being nominated for roles in the incoming Commission and on a number of policies that are important for Ireland.

I am aware the Minister of State referred to the issue of trade being important. Our view is in favour of open barriers and open trade, whereas the trend now is for more isolationism, more barriers and more tariffs to be imposed. It is a trend that will accelerate greatly if the dread of many of us, that Donald Trump is elected for another term as President of the United States of America, comes to pass. It will be incredibly damaging to the world trade order with a particular impact on developing countries because trade is an important tool for development. We must lead in protecting free and fair trade with those countries that are trying to develop agriculture and industry in the developing world.

I support Deputy Ó Murchú's position on the presentation to us this morning by a variety of NGOs regarding the shrinking focus on international development within the Commission as more and more focus is on eastern Europe, even by countries we would expect to have a much stronger view, such as the Nordic states, on the traditional role of development, especially in Africa. We really need it to happen.

I will also mention the agenda item of EU expansion. I welcome the opening of formal negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. The Joint Committee on EU Affairs has visited some of the western Balkan countries and listened to all of their presentations here.

There is real concern that some of the western Balkan countries feel aggrieved that they have been left behind. They have been waiting for 20 years, with some having met very high barriers and new barriers then being put up bilaterally by individual member states. It is important that some of them make their way to accession. I hope that will be a priority in the coming years.

I can only say a sentence on Gaza. The use of hunger as a weapon of war and the starvation of children is unconscionable. I sincerely hope that there will be a strong, concerted effort at this upcoming European Council meeting to ensure peace proposals and a ceasefire proposal finally get over the line.

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