Ivana Bacik
Ceist:1. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the French President. [60877/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 14 December 2022
Ceisteanna (1, 4, 6, 12)
Mick Barry
Ceist:4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the President of the French Republic. [61295/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Paul Murphy
Ceist:6. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with President of France. [61292/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:12. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on his meeting with President of France. [61289/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 12 together.
I attended a working lunch with President Macron in Paris on Thursday, 24 November.
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.
Relations between Ireland and France have never been stronger, underpinned by the Joint Plan of Action we agreed when he visited Dublin in 2021.
This includes the significant increase in maritime connections to Cork, Rosslare and Dublin, as well as progress on the Celtic Interconnector, which will link the Irish and French electricity grids when it comes online in 2026.
President Macron and I 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 support each other through difficult times.
We discussed our shared, unequivocal support for the people of Ukraine; further steps in the EU’s coordinated response on energy prices and security of supply; and driving forward with the digital and green transformations while maintaining the EU’s global competitiveness.
We also discussed renewing and strengthening the EU’s partnerships with key allies, including the US and the UK, at a time when democracy is under pressure in many parts of the world.
I took the opportunity to express again my personal thanks to President Macron for his unswerving solidarity with Ireland throughout Brexit.