James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

68. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent visit to Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3764/22]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In my role as Minister of State for European Affairs, I visited Poland from 8-10 December 2021. As an EU partner, this visit was an important opportunity to further Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Poland.

During my visit, I met with Konrad Szymanski, Poland’s Minister for European Affairs and with Marcin Przydacz, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Undersecretary of State for Security, the Americas, Asia and Eastern Policy.

Both meetings provided for important dialogue and engagement across several key issues on the EU agenda, including EU-UK relations, Covid-19 developments, EU economic recovery, Rule of Law developments, the Conference on the Future of Europe, Fit for 55, the situation of LGBTI+ persons in Poland, and developments at the Polish-Belarusian border.

In addition, this visit provided an opportunity to engage with those working on Human Rights, including LGBTI+ rights, and Rule of Law in Poland. Separately, it provided an opportunity to meet with Pavel Latushko, a leading Belarusian opposition figure and member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council of Belarus.

Amid the worrying resurgence in anti-Semitism across Europe, I also visited the site of the former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau where I had the chance to honour the memories of all those who perished there.