Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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74. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for a report on the discussion of the opening of EU accession talks at the EU Foreign Affairs Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3005/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 74 together.

Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement, provided that candidate countries meet the necessary conditions for membership. The enlargement of the European Union has taken on renewed significance and urgency since Russia's further illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has re-emerged as one of the EU's most important means of consolidating security and prosperity across the Continent and countering malign actors. The invasion of Ukraine has also highlighted the clear need for continuing and ever-closer co-operation between the EU and its partners in the western Balkans and eastern partnership regions.

EU accession negotiations featured heavily in December's General Affairs Council, which reiterated the Council's commitment to an enlargement model centred on fair and rigorous conditionality, as well as the principle of own merits and reversibility. The General Affairs Council called on aspiring members to step up their reform efforts, notably in the areas of rule of law, fundamental rights and justice reform, in line with the merit-based nature of the accession process and with the assistance of the European Union. Council members underlined the crucial importance of further deepening co-operation on foreign policy issues, and the Union's expectation of partners to align fully with the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. They also stressed the importance of the Union, in parallel, laying the necessary internal groundwork and reforms to facilitate an enlarged European Union. In this context, the Council took note of the Commission's communication on the recently proposed new growth plan for the western Balkans which aims to accelerate socioeconomic convergence between the western Balkans and the European Union.

The subsequent December European Council meeting saw historic decisions to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and grant candidate status to Georgia, as well as a clear signal that the European Union is ready to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria has been met. These were the correct decisions, based on the Commission's recommendations published in its annual package of enlargement reports. The Commission has committed itself to undertake further reporting in March on each country's continued progress as regards European Union reforms. It is my hope that this will facilitate additional steps in each country's European Union perspective.

The Granada declaration adopted by leaders on 6 October 2023 noted that the European Union needs to prepare in parallel with candidates for enlargement. Ireland's position is that we see the value of greater use of qualified majority voting, QMV, for decision-making in certain limited circumstances where it would make decision-making more efficient and where the treaties make allowance for it. Further, there are current mechanisms that could be used to streamline decision-making while preserving the national interests of member states without necessitating treaty change, such as constructive abstentionism, the Passerelle Clauses, the emergency brake procedure and the Ioannina mechanism. The intention of the Commission to undertake a series of pre-enlargement policy reviews is welcome to see how the European Union's policies, budgets and institutions may need to be adapted to a larger Union. This will be an important exercise to inform this future discussion.

It is important that any changes in European Union institutional arrangements serve to facilitate EU enlargement and not to impede it. Likewise, it is important that candidate countries seize the current momentum on enlargement by continuing to make rapid and meaningful progress on accession reforms. Ireland will continue to support the enlargement process strongly and offer any practical assistance it can to candidate countries engaged in accession negotiations.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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People have been struck by the pace of Ukrainian reforms. In particular, the Commission has been very struck by the speed and degree to which Ukraine has gotten its act together in respect of many of the areas that had been identified by the Commission as requiring reform. Overall, I have a geopolitical view - I have been one of the strongest advocates earlier on at European Council meetings and as Taoiseach - that we should make sure we push strongly for Ukrainian accession to the European Union. The geopolitical issues piece is important because vacuums develop in states. Too many countries have been left hanging out there for far too long, such as North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and others which have made significant reforms. Very often what happens is the supportive population becomes less supportive as accession has not progressed. Ideally, we would favour changes within the existing treaty in terms of how the Union works in the context of enlargement. It would be more effective and efficient to do it that way but others are not ruling out treaty change.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Before the Tánaiste answers Deputy Mc Hugh wants to come in.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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That was very helpful and I will come in very briefly with regard to Georgia. I know my colleague, Deputy Howlin, and our team in the European Union affairs committee engaged with Georgia a lot.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Georgia engaged a lot with us.

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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George, the ambassador, is on everybody's speed dial at this stage. I know Georgia is at a different level to Moldova and Ukraine in terms of its pathway but it is making an enormous effort, both at political and civic level. We have met many representatives in Tbilisi. Are we at a positive place with regard to a possible embassy in Tbilisi?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In respect of Deputy Bruton's question, at the December European Council meeting it was decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia. There was a clear signal to open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ukraine is proceeding rapidly and various timelines have been given. As for 2027 that would be very fast and that is the Ukranian perspective. However, it is moving at pace and we will see steady progress with respect to Ukraine.

On Georgia, yes granting candidate status was significant. Georgia does need to do reforms. I met the foreign minister and there is work to be done there. As for Deputy McHugh's question about the embassy it is my view that we need to create a stronger footprint in the neighbourhood, both in the western Balkans in particular and in the eastern neighbourhood. Yes, I would favour - over time - having resident embassies.