A Cheann Comhairle
I welcome this opportunity to address the House in advance of the European Council which will take place tomorrow and Friday. The meeting comes at a testing time for the European Union, with migration continuing to pose serious challenges, the terrorist attacks in Paris and elsewhere still fresh in our minds, and with the debate about Britain’s membership of the EU entering a new and crucial phase. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we work together in solidarity to find and to implement solutions to these challenges.
The agenda for the European Council addresses the issues I have already mentioned and a number of others.
The first item is, quite rightly, the ongoing migration and refugee crisis, where we will continue the much-needed work on shaping and implementing a comprehensive EU approach.
On the EU-UK question, following the letters from Prime Minister Cameron and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, Heads of State and Government will have a substantive discussion about the British proposals.
The European Council will consider Europe’s actions in the fight against terrorism, building on the decisions taken at its February meeting and in light of the barbaric attacks in Paris in November and in other locations such as Mali and Lebanon.
In light of international developments, the situations in Syria and possibly in Ukraine will also feature.
The European Council will also examine a number of economic and financial issues. We will take stock of discussions to date on the Five Presidents’ Report on Economic and Monetary Union.
We will also look at developments in the Internal Market.
And finally, Conclusions are expected on Energy Union and a forward looking Climate Policy. I have asked Minister Deenihan to address this last, very important, item in his wrap-up statement. However, I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding French chairmanship of COP 21, and the willingness of all delegations to compromise in reaching a remarkable agreement. How the EU fulfils its commitments in detail will be the subject of much work over the coming years and I have set out our determination to secure a deal for Ireland which will be ambitious but also sustainable and achievable.
Migration
A Cheann Comhairle,
Inevitably, the migration and refugee crisis is and will probably remain the priority issue for the European Union in the period ahead.
The tragic human cost of the crisis has saddened and shocked us. Although the latest figures show a dip in recent weeks in the numbers attempting to reach our shores, we know that this does not mean the problem is receding.
Ireland has consistently called for an approach which addresses the root causes as well as the humanitarian challenges at the European level.
From an EU perspective, there have been important agreements over the past few months on various elements of a multifaceted, comprehensive response to the crisis. While this progress is encouraging, implementation has been disappointingly slow, and much more needs to be done. Many of my colleagues have rightly said that the Schengen system itself is in danger, if control of the Union’s external borders is not restored. While Ireland is not a member of Schengen, we acknowledge it as a profoundly important achievement.
This week’s European Council will allow us to assess the state of play. I expect discussions to cover hotspots for processing asylum seekers - which have been established but have not become operational as quickly as planned - and implementation of the decisions on relocation of asylum seekers within the EU which, similarly, has been very slow. Delivering on decisions taken is essential to the Union's credibility and we must ensure that we maintain that focus.
The need to register people as they arrive; to return those who do not have a legitimate right to enter the EU; and to resettle refugees who are often stuck in perilous conditions beyond our borders, will also feature, and the grave shortcomings of the current situation will be highlighted.
I would expect a substantial part of our discussions to focus on the EU relationship with Turkey, and the Joint Action Plan and Statement agreed at our meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister on 29 November. Turkey plays a geographically and politically central role in the region and is a hugely important partner for the EU. It is a candidate country and is also currently host to over 2.2 million Syrian refugees. It is vital therefore that we work together with Turkey to address the migration crisis. One step towards this is the EU’s commitment to contribute €3 billion to help support Syrian refugees and their host communities in Turkey. Rapid implementation by both sides of all aspects of the Action Plan however will be key, including a sustained and significant reduction in the number of migrants reaching the EU through Turkey. No-one is under any illusion that this will be easy but it must be done.
A new measure proposed by the Commission yesterday to resettle refugees from Turkey, on a voluntary basis, would of course be dependent on Turkey delivering on its commitments. With partners, we will examine this proposal carefully. However the priority for the Government remains our September commitment to accept 4,000 refugees and asylum seekers under the Commission’s earlier Resettlement and Relocation Programmes, and we are working to fulfil this as quickly as possible.
The European Council is likely to ask that the other Commission proposals made yesterday be examined urgently – these are on a European Border and Coast Guard, the Schengen Borders Code, and travel documents for failed asylum seekers returning to their places of origin. Ireland, of course, does not participate in the Schengen agreement and so will not take a lead role in those discussions. However, we remain committed to engaging constructively as we have done over the past year, for example in cooperation with Frontex. The forthcoming Commission review of the Dublin system is also likely to feature, as will the controversial proposal for a permanent relocation mechanism, which we would of course not be required to opt into.
As regards Ireland’s commitments, our humanitarian search and rescue naval mission in the Mediterranean has now concluded, with the L.E. Samuel Beckett returning to Cork later this week. In total, 8,592 people were saved by the crews of the three vessels concerned and I wish to pay tribute again to their work. I know the House joins me in expressing the pride of the Irish nation in what they have achieved and we thank them, deeply and sincerely, for their service.
In addition to this, and our offer to accept up to 4,000 refugees and asylum seekers under the Commission’s Resettlement and Relocation Programmes, I would also recall our significant humanitarian aid which includes €42 million funding by the end of this year to support people affected by the Syrian crisis, €3 million to the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, and a doubling of our annual contribution to the World Food Programme, bringing it to €20 million each year for the next three years. We will also be making a significant contribution to the new fund which it is envisaged will support Syrian refugees in Turkey.
As I said at the outset, it is vital that the fundamental cause of the crisis – the civil war in Syria, and the savage actions of DAESH are also addressed and I expect that the situation in Syria will feature prominently in discussions.
EU-UK
The United Kingdom’s planned referendum on membership of the European Union will also be discussed, in what is expected to be the first really substantive collective debate around the table.
Ireland's position is well-known: we are committed Europeans, we believe in the EU and we believe that the UK belongs in our Union. Of all other EU Member States, Ireland stands to be affected most significantly by a possible UK departure.
But our strong support for continued UK membership of the EU is equally rooted in the belief that UK membership of the EU benefits the entire Union and all its Member States. Quite simply, together as 28, we can achieve much more for our citizens.
The European Council discussions will be framed by Prime Minister Cameron’s letter of 10 November to President Tusk, and President Tusk’s letter to all EU leaders of 7 December.
PM Cameron’s letter was helpful in confirming the four broad categories in which the UK wants to seek change, and it kick-started an intensified round of discussions among EU partners, and with the EU institutions.
Although President Tusk’s letter was generally optimistic about the prospect of an agreement, he did not hesitate to highlight the more difficult areas where effort will be needed from all sides to agree a ‘package’ that is acceptable to all. In addition, President Tusk mapped out a helpful timeframe for the discussions themselves, which sees us aiming towards agreement in February. We welcome this approach.
As far as the discussions at this European Council – and beyond – are concerned, Ireland will continue to be constructive and helpful.
We completely share the UK’s enthusiasm for sustained effort under the ‘Competitiveness’ heading. The issues here are the drivers of long-term prosperity for the citizens of the EU.
Under the economic governance and sovereignty headings, although the details of the proposals remain to be clarified, we can see where solutions might lie.
In the immigration and free movement area, there is considerable support, including from Ireland, for British proposals in relation to addressing fraud and abuse, and changing the way in which child benefit is paid abroad. However, it seems that there is very significant opposition to the Prime Minister’s proposal to withdraw in-work benefits from EU workers for a four year period. I know that Prime Minister Cameron believes that there is a need for a real political debate among leaders only, during which I am sure he will underscore the political importance of this issue in the UK. He has indicated his openness to considering other proposals that would achieve essentially the same result. I expect there to be a substantive political discussion of this and the detail of the other issues on Thursday, with a view to moving towards the elaboration of concrete proposals for consideration at the following European Council.
It is well worth taking the time to get the package right – and by that I mean, to the satisfaction of the UK and all other partners around the table. I very much hope for agreement in February and we will continue to urge all sides to engage fully and not to forget the very high stakes involved.
The Fight Against Terrorism
A Cheann Comhairle,
In considering the fight against terrorism, the European Council will review progress since February when an ambitious and necessary programme of criminal justice, law enforcement and border control actions was set out.
These discussions come in the wake of the brutal events in Paris last month - acts that were an attack on the very values that we cherish in Europe and in the democratic world. Ireland stands in total solidarity with France and we remain steadfast and united in our determination to counter the threat posed by global terrorism and all forms of radicalism.
Crucially, the EU has to work to deliver on the measures and priorities already agreed. At the European Council, therefore, we will build on the work of Justice Ministers in examining the enhancement of information sharing, and looking for early implementation of the recently agreed Passenger Name Record (PNR) directive. The use of systematic and coordinated checks at external borders is important, and a commitment will be looked for to take further Commission proposals on new directives for combating terrorism and on the illegal firearms trade. There are also fresh proposals to increase the effectiveness of the fight against terrorist financing,
The European response has to come in an international context and we support the proposed stepping up of engagement with partner countries and regional organisations in the Middle East and elsewhere. The EU needs to do more outreach in the region and we also need to improve our strategic messaging, in particular to promote our values.
Economic and Monetary Union and The Five Presidents’ report
A Cheann Comhairle,
As agreed at the October European Council, the December European Council will return to the Five Presidents’ Report on ‘Completing Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union’ which was produced on 22 June.
The Five Presidents’ Report is an important contribution to the debate about the future of the single currency area. It sets out the authors’ vision for a ‘deep, fair and genuine’ EMU to be achieved by 2025 in two stages: a first stage focused on boosting competitiveness, maintaining responsible fiscal policies and completing banking union; and a second stage beginning in 2017 which would involve more significant changes to the EU’s economic and institutional architecture.
Ireland’s position here remains clear. We need to keep a firm focus on full and effective implementation of the wide range of reforms that have already been agreed over recent years. This means continuing to improve our collective engagement with the European Semester process of economic policy coordination, and of course pressing ahead on banking union.
In this context, the proposals presented by the Commission on 24 November for a European Deposit Insurance Scheme are welcome. These were the subject of initial exchanges among Finance Ministers last week.
A further positive development on banking union is confirmation that the Single Resolution Mechanism will enter into force on 1 January 2016. This comes after a sufficient number of Member States, including Ireland, ratified an intergovernmental agreement on the transfer and mutualisation of contributions, set to be built up to approximately €55 billion over an eight year period.
The Commission also presented its Annual Growth Survey package on 26 November, setting out the key priorities for supporting growth and jobs under the 2016 European Semester. This retains the threefold emphasis established last year on investment, structural reforms and responsible public finances.
We agree that these are the right priorities, and that practical measures to further strengthen the economic outlook must remain at the top of our agenda. Although the Irish economy is recovering strongly, we need to see further improvement in the economic performance of the wider euro area and EU economies, particularly in terms of creating the right conditions for investment and job creation.
There will in due course be a renewed debate on the longer-term future of the euro area but the first step must be to do what we have promised and what is possible under the extensive reforms of recent years.
Internal Market
A Cheann Comhairle,
The Commission presented its new Single Market Strategy on 28 October, 'Upgrading the Single Market: more opportunities for people and business'. This is a crucial initiative, including in the context of the current UK debate, and I expect a strong endorsement by the December European Council.
While the Single Market works well for goods, there are still too many barriers to cross-border trade in services. At the same time, traditional boundaries between goods and services have also become less relevant. That is why we simply have to make sure that we are adapting our Single Market rules to fast-changing twenty-first century realities.
Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Single European Act, and renewed momentum here will be a crucial driver of jobs, growth and competitiveness. This includes, of course, unlocking the full potential of the Digital Single Market along the lines advocated in my letter to President Tusk, joined by seven other Heads of State and Government, before the June European Council.
We will need to study carefully the individual Single Market and Digital Single Market proposals as they are produced. But in broad terms, we see the key issue here as pressing ahead with a high level of ambition, agreeing concrete timelines, and delivering results, with the European Council continuing to take an overview of progress.
The December Council meeting will also take stock of progress under Capital Markets Union, following presentation of the Commission's action plan on 30 September. Ireland remains a strong supporter of this initiative, particularly in terms of making financial markets work better for the SME sector.
Russia and Ukraine
Finally, the issue of Russia and Ukraine, though not on the agenda, might be raised in the context of the scheduled review of EU sanctions. We have always linked the sanctions to the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements and we would therefore support the sanctions being rolled over – as is likely - for a further six months.
A Cheann Comhairle,
The European Council will, therefore, address a number of issues of central importance. I expect that, in keeping with the urgency and complexity of the situation, migration will once again be a very significant part of the discussions. However, the debate around the UK reform proposals, as well as the fight against terrorism, Economic and Monetary Union, the Single Market, Energy and Climate Policy will also be of considerable interest. I look forward now to hearing Deputies’ statements.
Thank you.