Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased that Deputy Smith, the Cathaoirleach Gníómhach and others met the delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament yesterday. I had the opportunity to meet President Zelenskyy in Brussels last week and, two weeks previously, at the peace summit for Ukraine in Switzerland. I have also had the opportunity to speak to him by telephone twice since becoming Taoiseach. In addition, I had a video call with the Ukrainian Prime Minister. We are in regular contact. We are eager to show solidarity with Ukraine and, for as long as it takes, to show the support the people of this country and the Government have for Ukraine. Deputy Smith is right that energy is a huge concern for the Ukrainian Government and for President Zelenskyy. We are already actively helping in that regard. The ESB has actively helped. The two areas in which we are helping the most are demining and electricity supply. We will continue to do that. I will continue to raise the issues in every forum I attend.

Deputy Smith also made a point about membership of the European Union. I am really pleased that the intergovernmental conference took place. It was a major ask of Ukraine to have it take place in June. It was seen as quite an ambitious timeline. We met it, however, and we got there. That gives a message to Ukraine, and to the world, that we very much see it as part of the European family. That was important to Ukraine. We will keep engaging on that issue.

I want to make a very clear statement that immigration is a good thing. This country is better for the people who have come here and made it their home. Our health service, economy, society, schools, public sector and private sector are the better for it. This is a country that has benefited from migration and from immigration. I say that very clearly. Saying it is not in any way contradictory of the fact that we must, of course, have rules around our migration system and we must enforce those rules. I have a very different political outlook from some of the colleagues sitting across the floor. I have a different perspective from them on how to take on the far right. It is the job of centrist politicians like me not to shirk issues. If they are shirked, it allows a vacuum to develop. That vacuum is often exploited by the far right, which tries to sow division in this country. We may disagree on many issues and on how to address those issues but I certainly do not think there is any disagreement from any Deputy currently present in the Chamber that immigration is a good thing. I wanted to state that clearly as Taoiseach.

I do not want to predict the outcome of the French elections. There is a second round taking place. I am conscious that the various alliances I am reading about, the withdrawal of candidates and so on could have a significant impact on the final outcome. I will be very happy to comment on the issue once the election is concluded.

On the re-election of President von der Leyen, one gets the impression that it was only Ireland that backed her. In fact, with the exception of the Prime Ministers of Hungary and Italy, all other member states, whether they have a socialist government, as many do, or a conservative government-----

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