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Statement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., on the conclusion of the MFF

“I would like to welcome the approval given today by the European Parliament to the EU’s long-term budget for the next seven years, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). Restoring jobs and growth to Europe was the key priority for the Irish Presidency, and the MFF is the key investment tool to do that.

Agreeing the budget right at the end of our Presidency was the result of detailed and, at times, robust negotiations in which I was pleased to play my part as lead negotiator for the Council.

I believe that the compromise we reached with the Parliament was fair and final, and today the members of the European Parliament endorsed the outcome of those negotiations.

I would like to pay tribute to my co-negotiators Alain Lamassoure, MEP, who lead the negotiations on the budget on behalf of the European Parliament, and Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski, who represented the European Commission during the talks.

Today’s vote finally unlocks almost a trillion euros of EU funding for the next seven years. The MFF will underpin European support for agriculture, education, youth employment, cohesion and research and innovation. Ireland will benefit across all these areas of the budget, supporting our drive for jobs and growth.

Today’s vote also guarantees that the Union’s single biggest investment tool can now be unlocked for the benefit of its citizens.”