Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position with regard to mid-term review of the agreed financial perspectives for the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6831/06]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the final position with regard to agreement on the future financial perspectives for the EU for the period 2007-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6841/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 140 together.

Deputies will be aware of the political agreement reached at last December's European Council meeting on the enlarged European Union's future financial perspectives for the period 2007-2013. The House had an opportunity to debate the matter in detail on 25 January this year when the Taoiseach presented his report of that meeting and outlined its successful outcome for Ireland and the Union as a whole. The Taoiseach and I also wrote to all Oireachtas Members and Irish MEPs in early January with details of the agreement and its significance for Ireland.

The agreed package preserved Ireland's key interests and provides the enlarged Union with the necessary financial framework to meet the challenges of the coming period. The review mechanism provided for in the December agreement invites the Commission to submit a report in 200809 covering all aspects of EU spending and resources. We are pleased that the review will be carried out in a transparent manner with the participation of all member states. Any decisions arising out of this review will require unanimous support.

The Council is currently working with the European Parliament and the Commission on an inter-institutional agreement to give legal effect to the future financial framework for the period 2007-13. The European Parliament, as the Council's partners in deciding the EU budget, will be very aware of the political realities surrounding this agreement which balances the expectations of the cohesion countries, the financing needs of agriculture and other key EU policies, and the interests of those countries that are net contributors to the EU budget. The Government is working with the Austrian Presidency and with partners generally to ensure that the final agreement maintains the delicate balance achieved in December.