Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the result of the recent presidential election in Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18487/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I note the result of the recent Presidential election in Poland and I congratulate the incumbent, President Duda, on his re-election.

Ireland enjoys very good bilateral relations with Poland, and we will seek to continue to develop this relationship.

As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I visited Poland on a number of occasions and had the opportunity to engage with my counterpart in the Polish Government. I hope to continue this engagement with the Minister and his successor, who is expected to be appointed in the autumn. I look forward to meeting my counterpart in-person at the next Foreign Affairs Council in September.

Poland is a fellow Member State of the European Union, and as Member States we will face many challenges as we seek to recover from the wide-ranging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Working together in solidarity across the EU, we can ensure that we achieve a successful recovery while safeguarding our common values, including respect for the rule of law, equality and democracy.