Bernard Durkan
Question:22. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council which he attended; the issues discussed; and the conclusions reached. [15438/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 April 2023
Questions (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:23. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent European Council meeting. [18128/23]
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Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:24. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council. [18279/23]
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Paul Murphy
Question:25. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council. [18282/23]
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Bríd Smith
Question:26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council. [18285/23]
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Mick Barry
Question:27. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council which he attended. [19146/23]
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Seán Haughey
Question:28. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council which he attended. [19220/23]
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Ivana Bacik
Question:29. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council. [19240/23]
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Gary Gannon
Question:30. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council which he attended; the issues discussed; and the conclusions reached. [19316/23]
View answerOral answers (8 contributions)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 30, inclusive, together.
I attended the meeting of the European Council on 23 and 24 March in Brussels. We discussed Ukraine, competitiveness, the Single Market, the economy, energy issues and external relations. Leaders met with United Nations Secretary General António Guterres. In our meeting with him, we discussed the impact on global food security of the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports. We also discussed climate action and the need to restore momentum towards achieving the sustainable development goals.
The European Council was joined by video for part of our meeting proper by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Leaders reiterated our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. In particular, we called for the accountability of perpetrators, respect for international humanitarian law with particular regard to prisoners of war, and the safe return of Ukrainians, particularly children, removed to Russia illegally. We also discussed our ongoing political, military, humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.
Leaders returned to our discussion of economic issues in follow-up to our previous meeting on 9 February. We marked the 30th anniversary of the Single Market and discussed how best to ensure the EU’s longer-term competitiveness and productivity. The European Commission has rightly identified the further reduction of barriers, especially for services, as essential for the Single Market to stay the main driver of the EU's competitiveness. I emphasised the importance of safeguarding the level playing field between the member states on which it is built. Leaders agreed the importance to future investment of an EU framework that encourages access to private capital, research and innovation, education and skills, and a growth-enhancing regulatory environment.
The European Council held a strategic discussion on the geopolitical aspects of trade and underlined the contribution of trade policy to the EU’s competitiveness. The European Council also called for work to be taken forward on the proposals for a net zero industry Act and a European critical raw materials Act. We also met in Euro Summit format where we were briefed on economic and financial developments by Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, and by Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup.
We had short discussions on energy, where we took stock of recent developments, and migration, with the Council presidency and the Commission updating us on progress since our meeting in February.
We also discussed external relations issues, including February’s terrible earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the political situation in Belarus, Serbia-Kosovo relations, and we also took the opportunity to welcome the EU-UK agreement on the Windsor Framework.
We have nine speakers listed so I ask Deputies to stick to 40 or 45 seconds and that way it is hoped we will get a response for everybody.
To what extent did the discussion on food security take into account current issues or ones that might emerge in the future and what decisions were made on this by the entire group? Were the members in unison on the degree of help offered for the Türkiye and Syria earthquakes given the severity, loss of life and the hardship suffered by all concerned?
Events in Sudan since the Taoiseach’s return from the European Council represent a tragedy for the people of Sudan, first and foremost. I am sure the Taoiseach will join me in welcoming the announcement of a 72-hour ceasefire. It would be appropriate to commend and thank all those who have been involved in bringing a sizeable number of Irish citizens in Sudan to safety already. I understand there is still in excess of 100 citizens still to be evacuated. I would appreciate it if the Taoiseach could provide an update on that. It would also be appropriate to thank our European colleagues who have assisted in the evacuation efforts to date.
An issue that again has been highlighted is the deficiency with some of the equipment and resources of the Defence Forces. I understand a deposit was paid in December on a cargo plane that would have provided us with much greater airlift capacity. Will the Taoiseach also update the Dáil on the progress of that acquisition?
The Taoiseach should acquaint himself with the theory of Frankenstein's monster, because the militias that are running around and now killing Sudanese people are, in a significant part, the Frankenstein's monsters that have been created by hundreds of millions of euro of European Union funding. The leader of the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, which was formerly the Janjaweed militias that committed genocide in Darfur, boasted that they got European Union money to provide their arms. They first crushed the Sudanese revolution, killing 100 people. Then they fell out with each other and are fighting over the spoils. They are armed and supported by outside forces, including the European Union. Of course, the Frankenstein's monsters that Europe supports are many. Israel, similarly, could not do what it is doing to the Palestinians day in, day out without the support of the United States and the European Union, who continue to allow it to act with impunity and to give it trade and other support.
Is the Taoiseach concerned about the new arms race that is taking place across Europe? There is a report from the Transnational Institute which draws on research from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and really highlights what exactly is taking place. By mid-May 2022, EU member states had announced a total of close to €200 billion in increased military spending for the coming years, which is higher than the entire spending for 2020.
In 2014, three of the 30 NATO member states were above the target of spending of 2% of GDP on the military. By the end of 2022, that is expected to rise to nine, with another nine countries being expected to hit the target by 2025, bringing the total to 18. The European Commission has suggested an increase in the European Defence Fund and in money within the multi-annual financial framework. The beneficiaries of all this spending are the big arms companies. I stress that every euro spent on these polluting armies is a euro not being spent to address the climate disaster. It goes in the absolute wrong direction.
The European Council assessed the action that has been taken to address high energy prices, reduce gas demand, ensure security of supply and phase out dependency on Russian fossil fuels. It is in this context that I ask the Taoiseach about his attendance at the North Sea summit yesterday. I understand there was a commitment to quadruple wind energy generation. It is suggested that Ireland could become a major energy exporter. What are the Taoiseach's reflections on the outcome of that summit yesterday, particularly in the development of our ports and the planning framework we have in place for wind energy? Is the Taoiseach satisfied that enough work is being undertaken to ensure they are fit for purpose?
On Deputy Durkan's question about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, it is fair to say there was much consensus around the table at the European Council that the efforts we are making to assist both Turkey and Syria were the right ones. However, there was a definite degree of frustration that we were not able to get access to northern Syria for reasons linked to the conflict in that country.
In terms of the acquisition of new aircraft, a new aircraft is on order from the Air Corps. I am not across all the details, but I understand the new Airbus, which will not arrive for another year or two, will be able to carry 50 personnel. That will improve our strategic airlift capacity considerably, enabling us to get people to and from Lebanon, for example, or to evacuate citizens as needed in a way that we currently cannot. However, it will not be equipped to carry vehicles. It is a matter of debate as to whether that is a capacity we ourselves necessarily need. Perhaps it would make more sense to pool that capacity with other countries, which I understand is done from time to time.
Deputy Haughey asked about energy security and the Ostend meeting, which I attended yesterday. I joined the leaders of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway as well as the President of the European Commission at the summit. The aim of the event was to harvest the full energy and industrial potential of offshore wind in the north seas, which include the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and make the wider maritime area an energy powerhouse for Europe. We signed the Ostend Declaration, which aims to turn this ambition into a reality. During the summit, I engaged with industry representatives and presided over a round-table discussion that focused on how best to deepen cross-country co-ordination and co-operation.
At the March European Council, leaders discussed energy issues and took stock of the progress made over the past year and the actions that have been taken to phase out dependency on Russian fossil fuels. These resolute actions have served to underpin the security of supply, reduce energy use and mitigate the impact of the dramatic price increases we have seen for businesses and consumers. Leaders also discussed the preparations for winter 2023-2024. There is a particular emphasis on making use of the joint purchase of gas, which will help with refilling our stores. The European Council also called for work to be taken forward on the revision of the EU's internal electricity market design, which is intended to make the market fully fit for a decarbonised energy system and to facilitate the uptake of renewable energy.
On Sudan, as Members will know, the situation there is very fluid and unpredictable. Up to 500 civilians have been killed and more than 3,700 have been wounded. There is heavy fighting, including air strikes in densely populated residential areas, and the death toll is feared to be significantly higher. Our embassy in Nairobi, which is accredited to Sudan, is in regular contact with the Irish citizens who have registered with them. Seventy-two Irish citizens and their dependants have to date been evacuated from Khartoum to Djibouti and Jordan, with the assistance of France, Spain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. This was part of a wider EU effort, so I very much thank our security partners and the European Union for enabling us to get those citizens and their dependants out.
The consort team from the Department of Foreign Affairs have been on the ground in Djibouti since Sunday. They were supporting citizens and family members who have been evacuated. Officials in Dublin and Nairobi are continuing to support citizens and their families still in Sudan. We have deployed an emergency civil assistance team, ECAT, mission, comprising personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Defence Forces, to assist Irish citizens in Sudan. The duration of the mission will depend on the progress that can be made, the security situation on the ground and decisions on extraction by partners.
The security of the team itself, our citizens and their dependants is paramount. We have to remember that as we work to bring our citizens and their dependants safely back to Ireland, 45 million Sudanese civilians remain in Sudan and are facing insecurity and crisis. The international community has widely condemned the outbreak of violence and has called for a return to the negotiating table. Both the African Union and the United Nations Security Council have issued strong statements in this regard, which are fully supported by Ireland.