Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Deputy has randomly picked former EU Commissioner. She must have caught his attention in terms of a potential upcoming electoral contest. I agree with the former Commissioner on many issues and I agree with her that the European Union, through the President of the Commission, has provided a significant level of leadership that other parts of the world have not provided. At a time when other parts of the world walked away from UNWRA, the European Commission, European Union and many member states significantly increased their contribution. We have significantly increased funding at EU level to the Palestinian Authority to help it reform. We are working very closely with Arab nations. Foreign policy is set by member states, through the high representative. The European Commission has taken many positive steps from a humanitarian aid point of view. A lack of European unity on Gaza and a way forward is extraordinarily regrettable. People will look back on this period of history and believe Europe could have done more.

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