Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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166. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with Ireland participating in the EU-CELAC Summit of 9-10 November, and the forthcoming EU Council agenda of 10-23 November, covering key issues such as energy taxation, customs-duty relief and EU-UK relations, how the Government will ensure that Ireland’s export- and energy-intensive sectors are protected, that duties or taxes do not disadvantage Irish firms and that Ireland’s voice is amplified within the Danish presidency to secure favourable terms for our economy. [62577/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland, through our engagement at EU level, including participation in meetings of the Council of Ministers, plays a proactive role in shaping a European Union that reflects Irish values and interests in its policies and ambitions. We work to prioritise economic competitiveness in the EU and to support an ambitious EU trade agenda with a view to advancing Ireland’s economic interests.

Over the coming weeks, Irish Ministers will engage with their EU counterparts in a number of meetings, including at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, the General Affairs Council, and the Foreign Affairs Council in Trade format.

Each of those Councils will discuss proposals that will advance the interests of Irish business and trade in areas such as including competitiveness, simplification, international trade and the new long-term EU budget for 2028-2030 (the Multiannual Financial Framework), energy, and financial services, to name but a few.

The EU-CELAC summit in Colombia, where Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne represented Ireland, provided an opportunity for us to join with partners in reiterating the importance of this bi-regional relationship based on shared values and interests, with attendees discussing the importance of multilateralism as well as trade and investment opportunities, which will be of interest to Irish businesses.

Our goal, as ever in all our our engagements at EU level, is to deepen relationships and alliances with our EU partners, with the European institutions, and with third countries, with a view to ensuring Ireland’s positions on key files are well understood and reflected, in order to advance our interests and values.