Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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362. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he has had interaction with his European colleagues in regard to the various trouble spots affecting Europe, and the wider global security, safety, immigration and other issues that might present a threat to peace and stability. [60888/22]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union is active in pursuing the preservation of peace and stability, the reinforcement of international security and the promotion of international cooperation, democracy, the rule of law and the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the world.

The Treaty on European Union commits the EU and all of its Member States to contribute to peace, security, sustainable development, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child, as well as to the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, in our relations with the wider world.

Through discussions at the European Council, Foreign Affairs Council and working groups in Brussels, the EU and its Member States work, collaboratively and in coordination, to respond to global developments which threaten the international rules-based order, and which undermine international law and the UN Charter.

At the most recent Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January, Ministers took decisions in relation to a number of global issues. We endorsed the provision of a seventh €500 million package of support for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility and agreed to support implementation of Ukraine’s ten step initiative for a just peace. We agreed to set up an annual high-level political dialogue between the EU and the Palestinian Authority, and responded to Iran’s unacceptable repression of protestors by adopting a fourth package of EU restrictive measures. 

The EU consistently takes strong and practical stances in order to prevent conflict from occurring and escalating, promoting multilateral solutions to common problems, in particular in the framework of the United Nations, and in meaningful and substantive partnership with states from all regions of the world.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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363. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on recent meetings with the French President, Emmanuel Macron. [59484/22]

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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365. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on recent engagements with President Emmanuel Macron. [60872/22]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 365 together.

I attended a working lunch with President Macron in Paris on Thursday, 24 November 2022. The meeting was an opportunity to mark the intensification of our bilateral relations in recent years, and to exchange views on current EU and international issues ahead of the December European Council.

Bilateral relations with France have never been stronger. Our Joint Plan of Action, signed in 2021 during President Macron's visit to Dublin, underpins this. This new closeness is exemplified by the significant increase in maritime connections to Cork, Rosslare and Dublin, which have provided a direct and reliable route to the EU Single Market, supporting an 18% increase in trade in goods between Ireland and France in 2021. It has also supported a significant increase in tourism numbers and people-to-people exchanges.

During my visit to Paris, I also attended a signature ceremony for the Celtic Interconnector which will link the Irish and French grids when it comes online in 2026. In our meeting, President Macron and I greatly welcomed this important new piece of infrastructure and hoped that it would herald a new era of cooperation in the energy space, including on offshore wind. The interconnector is an excellent example of the type of strategic cooperation necessary to unlock the potential of the vast renewable energy resources available to Ireland, and to Europe more generally.

President Macron and I share a deep commitment to the European project, which remains the bedrock of prosperity and well-being on our continent. In our meeting we agreed that the EU will only rise to the many challenges it faces if we continue to stand together, to work with unity and purpose, and supporting each other through difficult times.

In our discussions we also shared our unequivocal support for the people of Ukraine and agreed on the need to continue delivery of vital humanitarian supports to the Ukrainian people.

On economic prospects for the period ahead, we agreed that the European Union must continue to play to its strengths: driving forward with the digital and green transformations and maintaining our global competitiveness.

We discussed renewing and strengthening the European Union’s partnerships with key allies, not least the US and the UK, particularly at a time when democracy is under pressure in many parts of the world. I paid tribute to the initiative President Macron took in proposing the European Political Community.

I took the opportunity to express again my personal thanks to President Macron for his unswerving solidarity with Ireland throughout Brexit.

While in Paris, I also visited the Irish Cultural Centre, where I met with representatives of the Irish Community in France. I also addressed the Ireland France Business Awards Dinner.

President Macron and I also both attended the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tirana, Albania, on Tuesday, 6 December 2022 as well as the European Council in Brussels on 15 December.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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364. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he has met with or exchanged views with the British Prime Minister in the context of the Northern Ireland protocol. [3052/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As we have done throughout the Brexit process, the Government remains fully engaged with our key interlocutors and stakeholders in the EU, the UK, Northern Ireland and the US

I had a meeting with Prime Minister Sunak at the British-Irish Council in November and spoke with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in December. I also met Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris twice in recent weeks.

The Taoiseach spoke with Prime Minister Sunak by telephone last week. The Minister of State for European Affairs also spoke with his British opposite number last week.

Beyond our engagements with the UK Government, I remain in close contact with the Northern Irish political parties and other key stakeholders in the North, including business groups. I have made clear the Government’s commitment to resolving the difficulties around the Protocol and helping to ensure that the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can operate effectively.

We also continue to engage extensively with our EU counterparts. The Taoiseach spoke with Commission President Von der Leyen on 11 January. I met Commission Vice-President Šefcovic in Brussels earlier this month and we maintain regular contact.

As has been the case throughout Brexit, there remains an unshakeable commitment across the EU to mitigating the impacts Brexit brings for this island. This is constantly reflected in our engagements with our EU partners, whose continued support we are deeply grateful for.

The Government is in ongoing contact with the US administration and Congress and key interlocutors in the United States. We are grateful also for continued bipartisan US support for peace and stability in Northern Ireland. The recent appointment of a US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs is a welcome development.

In all our contacts, I have been clear that shared solutions are the only sustainable way forward. Resolving the issues around the Protocol would also result in opportunities for greater EU-UK cooperation, which is vital at a time of significant global challenges.