Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

38. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the next European Union Foreign Affairs Council will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40566/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will attend the next Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which will take place in Luxembourg on Monday 14 October. The meeting comes ahead of the European Council, which takes place on 17-18 October.

Since February 2022, Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has been discussed at each meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The meeting next week will be an opportunity to discuss the EU’s continued support to Ukraine ahead of what will be a difficult winter period. It is expected that we will also have the opportunity to hear directly from the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha.

The deeply concerning situation in the Middle East will also be on the agenda. I will again be underlining the importance of the EU delivering clear messages on the urgent need for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, the release of hostages and a rapid scaling up of humanitarian assistance, and the need to avoid further regional escalation. I will also be highlighting the importance of coordination in our consular efforts and in our support for UNIFIL.

We will discuss the upcoming elections in Georgia and Moldova. I remain very concerned with recent moves by the Government in Georgia, which are not compatible with EU core values and jeopardise Georgia’s ability to join the EU.

The upcoming presidential election and EU referendum in Moldova on 20 October are of crucial significance. Ireland will participate in the OSCE election mission in support of an electoral process that is free from outside interference. In addition, we will discuss the situation in the Horn of Africa and Venezuela.

Finally, we will have an informal exchange of views with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, David Lammy. When I met with the Foreign Secretary in Dublin last week, we both welcomed the recent agreement of Prime Minister Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take forward an ambitious agenda of strengthened cooperation at pace over the coming months. I look forward to this work being taken forward.