Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Is onóir dom bheith ar ais arís i Seanad Éireann chun freastal ar an ábhar an-tábhachtach seo faoi eachtraí na tíre seo san Aontas Eorpach. Tá mé buíoch go bhfuil deis agam labhairt faoin Chomhairle Eorpach a bhí againn sechtain ó shin.

The Taoiseach represented Ireland at the European Council in Brussels on 23 and 24 March 2006. He was accompanied by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Finance, Deputies Dermot Ahern and Cowen. The conclusions of the Council have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Lisbon strategy, adopted by the European Council in 2000, was reviewed at its mid-term point by the Heads of State and Government last year. Following the work undertaken by Ireland during its Presidency in 2004, the strategy was refocused, with a greater emphasis on growth and jobs. This was the first opportunity since the mid-term review of the strategy for EU leaders to assess progress on the broad economic and social agenda facing the European Union. In addition, the European Council adopted comprehensive conclusions on a planned new energy policy for Europe. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs collectively discussed the future of Europe and enlargement, and I propose to report also on these discussions.

The meeting took place in an extremely positive atmosphere. It took important decisions, not least as regards energy policy, and provided for a comprehensive review of the state of progress with the Lisbon strategy. Progress has been made on a number of significant issues, including some of particular importance to Ireland. The meeting followed the successful informal meeting of Heads of State and Government at Hampton Court in October last year, and the December European Council at which agreement was reached on the future financial framework for the enlarged European Union for the period from 2007-13.

The European Council has clearly demonstrated once again the capacity of the European Union to function effectively in a manner that delivers tangible benefits in the interests of our citizens. The new energy policy for Europe was the central issue for this European Council and the Taoiseach has reported in detail on the discussions and on the conclusions to the meeting. The three main objectives underpinning the new policy, namely, security of supply, ensuring the continuing competitiveness of Europe's economies and promoting environmental sustainability, are of central importance to Ireland and the future success of our economy.

During the European Council's discussions on energy, the Taoiseach explicitly rejected the nuclear option for Ireland. As the Taoiseach has made clear, the EU's work on energy will not in any way affect our national policy of rejecting nuclear power generation in Ireland. The proposed new energy policy fully recognises that decisions on the primary sources of energy and energy mix remain firmly the responsibility of the member states. The Government is strongly opposed to nuclear power and it is our resolute intention that no facilities for generating nuclear power will be constructed in Ireland. This is already enshrined in our legislation.

A number of EU countries share Ireland's opposition to nuclear power, while others are more favourably disposed towards nuclear generation. Everyone accepts, however, that this choice is one for each Government to make. In the discussions at EU level we will, of course, also continue to push for the highest possible standards for the operation of nuclear plants and the disposal of nuclear waste material.

Ireland has much to gain from the development of a European energy policy. The conclusions reflect our view that the development of regional energy co-operation in the EU should pay particular attention to countries and regions largely isolated from the EU energy market. Ireland, along with the Baltic states, Cyprus and Malta is very much on the periphery of the EU energy market. Our small markets are not necessarily attractive to major energy companies and we therefore have difficulties in mobilising private sector investment for energy. At the European Council, the Taoiseach addressed the importance Ireland attaches to suitable provision for interconnection, including in the context of the European Union's state aid rules.

We are, of course, only at the preliminary stage in the evolution of a new energy policy and Ireland has highlighted a number of important questions for consideration as the debate develops, including the role of a possible European energy regulator and the importance of renewable energy. We are pleased that the EU's ambitious new work programme on energy is very much in line with the Government's approach. The revised arrangements for taking forward the Lisbon strategy provide for the preparation of three-year national reform programmes by member states and for their submission to the European Commission. In Ireland's case, our national reform programme, containing our plans for implementing the Lisbon strategy, and prepared in consultation with the social partners, was placed before the Houses of the Oireachtas in October of last year.

The European Council conclusions deal with the broad range of Lisbon Agenda issues but devote special attention to three particularly important areas, namely, investing in knowledge and innovation; unlocking the business potential of small and medium sized enterprises; and increasing employment opportunities for priority groups such as young people, women, older workers, people with disabilities, legal migrants and minorities.

The European Council agreed to work towards new targets on reducing early school leaving and boosting youth employment. In particular, the European Council agreed that by 2010, every unemployed young person should be offered a job, apprenticeship, additional training or other measure within no more than four months. A target of 85% was set for the completion of upper secondary education by 22 year olds. In the case of Ireland, the latest data show that with an 86.1% record, we already exceed the European Council's target and are well above the EU average which currently stands at 77.3%.

The European Council also adopted a target designed to reduce the time for setting up a business. The idea is that by the end of 2007, it should be possible to do so within one week anywhere in the European Union. At present, it takes only three days to set up a business in Ireland.

In order to contribute to Europe's competitiveness and also to bring Europe closer to our citizens, the Taoiseach suggested that the EU should look at the possibility of reducing or eliminating mobile phone roaming charges for people travelling within the EU. This proposal draws on the progress already made on this issue on a North-South basis and between Ireland and Britain. The Presidency welcomed this suggestion and it is now referred to in the European Council conclusions. Since the European Council, Commissioner Reding, on 28 March last, announced that she planned to introduce a regulation to eliminate all unjustified roaming charges in the EU. We will continue to give priority to the ultimate elimination of these charges.

The conclusions also addressed two other matters of particular importance to us. They reflect our view that the EU's state aid rules should encourage and facilitate a high level of investment in Europe and make Europe attractive for future inward investment. We must ensure that the desire for a level playing field on state aids within Europe, which we fully endorse, does not undermine Europe's capacity to continue to attract high quality investment projects that will help underpin Europe's future competitiveness. The European Council's conclusions recognise this.

The European Council recognised that the internal market for services must be made fully operational while preserving Europe's social model. Ireland continues to endorse the need for a balanced services directive which captures the advantages of a more liberalised market in services while protecting the rights and interests of workers. We are studying closely the amended version of the draft directive which the European Commission presented yesterday. This is likely to be the subject of intensive negotiations within the European Council in the months ahead.

The European Council also adopted a pact for gender equality to encourage action on closing gender gaps in the labour market, promoting a better work-life balance and better monitoring of gender equality actions. The European Council deplored the recent presidential election in Belarus as fatally flawed. We welcome the fact the EU has signalled its determination to impose sanctions against those politically and administratively responsible for violations of international electoral standards in Belarus.

As I mentioned at the outset, Foreign Ministers discussed the future of Europe and enlargement. These are two issues that generate intense political interest and the Presidency's aim was to initiate a broad debate. This discussion marked the beginning of a process that will continue for the remaining months of the Austrian Presidency as EU Foreign Ministers prepare a review of the current period of reflection which is to be put before the Heads of State and Government when they next meet in June.

Inevitably, member states hold divergent views on these issues. A number, for example, consider that the European constitution cannot be implemented now. Even among this group, however, there are those which want to see some or all of its contents implemented on a piecemeal basis. Others, particularly the 14 countries which have already ratified the European constitution, consider that it represents the optimum framework for creating a more efficient and effective Union. We subscribe strongly to this latter view. We recognise that progress with the ratification of the European constitution is not possible for the time being but we hope that circumstances will change during 2007 and that we may then be able to resume the ratification process in Ireland.

Our view that more time is required before we can revisit the issues impeding the ratification of the European constitution was reinforced by the Foreign Ministers' discussions at the European Council. We are not saying, however, that nothing can be done before 2007. The period of reflection which has been under way since June 2005 has been a valuable opportunity for Europeans to reflect on the kind of Union they want for the future.

In Ireland, the work of our National Forum on Europe has played a key role in helping refine our thinking on the future of Europe. I pay tribute to Senator Maurice Hayes and his management team for the outstanding work done. I also pay tribute to members of the forum for their individual and collective contributions to its work. On the day when the European Council convened in Brussels, the European forum here was hearing submissions from individuals and organisations throughout Ireland. If we are to succeed in engaging Europeans more actively in EU affairs, this is exactly the type of initiative which needs to be pursued across the European Union on an ongoing basis.

As we see it, this is a time for Europe to focus on tangible achievements instead of agonising over institutional complexities which are of little interest to most people. In his intervention, the Minister for Foreign Affairs stressed the need to build on the EU's genuine successes. These range from the creation of the euro at one end of the scale to the work now being undertaken on roaming charges or on the development of a harmonised driving licence. These are some of the areas where the EU can prove its worth and win increased levels of public approval.

As regards enlargement, the accession of Bulgaria and Romania will mark the completion of the fifth round of enlargement, increasing the membership of the European Union from 15 to 27 countries. Negotiations have begun with Croatia and Turkey and the European Union has also renewed its commitment to the Thessalonika Agenda, which foresees a European perspective for the countries of the western Balkans. Ireland has always been supportive of enlargement, not least perhaps because we were among its first beneficiaries when we joined back in 1973. There can be no doubt that the prospect of membership exerts a strong and stabilising force on potential members.

The recent accession of the countries of central and eastern Europe was a momentous achievement and it would be unfair and unwise to close the door to other European nations which aspire to membership of the EU. It is in all our interests to continue a carefully managed enlargement process that extends peace, prosperity and enhanced human rights across our Continent.

It is clear the European Union has work to do to prepare itself for any future enlargement. It is also evident that the public has considerable concerns about future enlargement and that these need to be responded to by governments. For now, however, the priority must be to make a success of the enlarged European Union.

At the recent ministerial discussion, the Minister for Foreign Affairs made the point that we need to offer EU citizens a clear strategy for future enlargement which is based on objective conditions and realistic commitments. We will continue to take a constructive and pragmatic approach to enlargement while giving due weight to the need for future candidate countries to be able to meet the obligations of membership. We must also attend to the European Union's absorption capacity.

This discussion was a useful first step for Foreign Ministers in an area of work which will have a high priority during the next three months. The Presidency has now proposed an additional meeting of Foreign Ministers likely to be held in late May. This will result in a report to the June European Council reviewing the period of reflection and determining what further steps are required to facilitate the completion of the ratification process for the EU constitution.

During the Foreign Minister's dinner, the Minister for Foreign Affairs also raised the recent ETA ceasefire and complimented the Spanish Government on this breakthrough. He was one of a number of Ministers who exhorted the Presidency to issue a statement expressing the EU's concerns about the continued operation of Guantanamo Bay and urging its closure.

The spring European Council was a constructive meeting that focused on the real needs of our citizens. As reflected in the meeting's conclusions, Heads of State and Government have advanced the Lisbon Agenda for growth and jobs. New ground has been broken in the critically important area of energy policy. Discussion among Foreign Ministers will help prepare the way for important decisions both on the European constitution and the future of Europe.

Overall, this was a very satisfactory European Council which dealt constructively with a range of key economic issues vital to the future well-being of Ireland and of the European Union as a whole. The Austrian Presidency is to be commended on the success of the spring European Council. I trust that this puts the conclusions of the recent European Council in context for the Members of this House.