Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2020
41. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the interaction he has had with his European Council colleagues on the EU budget for 2021 to 2027; and when it will receive consent from the Council. [36657/20]
View answerThroughout the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and the Next Generation EU Recovery Fund, the Minister of State for European Affairs and I have had regular exchanges at the General Affairs Council with our EU counterparts.
Additionally, I have had close, substantive exchanges with EU Commissioner Hahn on the special Brexit Adjustment Reserve which was part of the July agreement on the MFF/Next Generation EU package. I have highlighted to the Commissioner Ireland’s unique vulnerability to Brexit, expected disproportionate impact compared to other MS and the exposure of key sectors of Ireland’s economy to trade with the UK.
Throughout the MFF negotiations, Ireland’s priorities have been maintaining funding for CAP, Cohesion, substantial budgets for programmes including Horizon Europe and Erasmus+; and traditional own resources collection costs remaining at 20%, which will help address infrastructure and other Brexit costs. I am pleased that Ireland’s priorities have largely been reflected in the provisional MFF agreement. We have successfully protected CAP funding for Ireland and secured a special allocation of €300 million in recognition of the challenges facing our agricultural sector. We have secured a special allocation of €120 million for a new PEACE PLUS programme to build a significant fund to further reconciliation and North-South cooperation. We have also secured an increase in the share of customs collection costs we can retain and the inclusion of the special Brexit Adjustment Reserve in the MFF.
A proposed compromise agreement on the MFF was reached with the European Parliament on 10 November. Since then, agreement on the overall MFF/Next Generation EU package has not been achieved due to opposition by a number of MS. The Presidency has our full support in its efforts to finalise a swift agreement so that the EU budget and Recovery Fund can be fully implemented from January 2021.
