I mo cháil mar Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála, is geal liom go bhfuil deis agam inniu aitheasc a thabhairt os comhair na Dála, ar an gcéad lá d’ochtú hUachtaránacht na hÉireann ar Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I welcome the opportunity to address the Dáil today, the first day of Ireland’s eighth Presidency of the Council of the EU. I thank colleagues for attending the opening ceremony but particularly wish to use this opportunity to thank the wonderful choir, Defence Forces band, artists and singers, in particular those who contributed today. They really added to the sense of occasion and gave people a sense of what was to come in the months ahead. We take on the Presidency role at a crucial time for Europe. Why do I say that? The EU is navigating its most turbulent geopolitical era in decades, defined by Russian aggression in Ukraine, escalating conflicts in the Middle East and a volatile global trade environment. We are facing an environment where economic interdependence is frequently weaponised, challenging our traditional reliance on a strictly rules-based international order. Across the Union, we are responding by strengthening our economic resilience, advancing the green and digital transitions and reaffirming our commitment to democratic values and the rule of law. Our Presidency provides Ireland with a platform and an opportunity to lead member states in this response, seeking to build consensus on how we respond to the challenges facing Europe, how we deliver practical progress on behalf of all European citizens and how, importantly, we seize the opportunities available to us. Ireland brings to this role a strong track record as a committed and constructive member state of the EU. Our experience, values and diplomatic tradition equip us well to navigate the complexities of the Presidency. For me, this is not just an institutional obligation; it is a profound personal responsibility. The Irish Presidency will be guided by the old Irish proverb "Ní neart go cur le chéile", and our guiding star will be just that: strength in unity. As holders of the Presidency, we will lead a collective effort, and we know we can depend on the support and co-operation of our fellow member states as we work together in the interests of people, communities and businesses right across Europe. We will build on the excellent work of the Cypriot Presidency, which has guided the agenda of the Council so effectively throughout the first half of 2026. It has achieved significant progress in many areas. I again thank it and my colleagues for the huge amount of work done over the six months. In turn, we will seek to lay strong foundations for further progress in important areas of policy during the Presidency terms of our Trio partners, in other words working closely with Lithuania and Greece. The Irish EU Presidency will focus its efforts on enhancing the competitiveness of our economy, safeguarding the values of our Union at home and abroad, and providing for the security of our citizens. These core themes – competitiveness, values and security – are closely interlinked. They are mutually reinforcing. They will guide our work across all dimensions of our Presidency role. We will also strive for progress in a number of important areas which link all three of these thematic pillars. These include the Union’s ongoing support for Ukraine and our global engagement and relationships with key partners. This was reiterated in our engagement today with President Zelenskyy, who was very welcome here as part of our opening ceremony. As Members will be aware, the specific objectives we will pursue in our Presidency are set out in detail in the policy programme we published last month. In order to deliver a secure economic future, one that meets the needs and expectations of its people, Europe must act urgently to enhance its competitiveness and productivity. The Irish Presidency aims to make decisive progress in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, focusing on the blueprint for action that was agreed by the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission in the One Europe, One Market roadmap. This will be a core priority for our Presidency. Given the urgency of the task and the fact we have discussed and debated many of these issues for some time now, the targets, while ambitious and challenging, are ones we are certainly ambitious in wanting to achieve. Success will require all member states and each institution to work purposefully together in a spirit of co-operation and compromise in the interests of every citizen and business right across the Union. Our work will be guided by five strategic building blocks. First, we will work to simplify rules to ensure a smarter, more coherent regulatory framework for citizens and businesses and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens. This is not about reducing or getting rid of regulation; it is about better regulation overall. The Single Market is the foundation of Europe’s economy and prosperity. Under our second strategic building block, the Irish Presidency will work to eliminate barriers, tackle regulatory burdens, boost Internal Market trade, drive digital transformation and ensure a level playing field for businesses operating across the EU. Third, we must match our global diplomatic strategy with a bold, enterprising economic vision. Faced with rising trade uncertainty and fragmentation, we need to be more driven and adaptive than ever before. Our Presidency will pursue an ambitious, open, rules- and values-based trade policy agenda that supports European competitiveness, resilience and economic security, and strengthens our trade relationships with reliable global partners. I will take responsibility for driving this in my role as chair of the meetings of EU trade ministers, including the informal meeting in Dublin in October. We will work to strengthen our trade relationships and diversify our markets, advancing trade negotiations with important partners and looking to new markets in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, in line with commitments in the One Europe, One Market roadmap. I will start that engagement next week when I travel to the Gulf to meet with our partners in the region. We will seek to build an ambitious EU-US trade and investment relationship, building on the work that has been done to date, including the ongoing implementation of the EU-US joint statement, which benefits all of us. We will ensure that the work around the digital dialogue that needs to happen will continue. That is a matter I have been pushing with my colleagues. Fourth, and crucially, we must step up all efforts to respond to the exceptional energy crisis facing Europe. Geopolitical instability has laid bare our collective vulnerability, making it an absolute diplomatic and economic necessity that we act. We will prioritise work to enhance Europe's security of supply and the development of sustainable, affordable and secure energy systems. During our Presidency, we will support and advance all EU efforts to strengthen economic resilience. Guided by the promote-protect-partner principles that support our economic security, we will work to bolster our supply chain resilience. Through all of these actions, we will lead the way in phasing out dependence on fossil fuel imports and securing long-term economic sovereignty for our partners and our people. We have in the past few months alone seen the impact that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had. We saw the impact on fuel prices, commodities and prices more generally. We need to phase out our dependence on external fossil fuel imports. Fifth, we must look to the horizon and work towards systematically building Europe's digital and technological sovereignty. We are living through an era of unprecedented transformative change. To secure our future, our Presidency will seek to strengthen the EU's capabilities and capacities in cloud computing and artificial intelligence, AI, while firmly advancing the Union's position as a global leader in responsible digital governance. The Irish Presidency will convene governments and global stakeholders for an international AI summit, which will be the flagship business event of our Presidency. This landmark forum will focus on a clear double objective: harnessing immense digital opportunities while empowering our people to thrive in a digital society. Economic leadership in the 21st century requires absolute resilience in our physical and regulatory infrastructure. Our Presidency will advance work on digital networks, focusing critical investments on subsea telecom connectivity and the security of subsea cables. We will work to create an innovation-friendly regulatory environment that drives strategic sectors, including semiconductors, biotechnology and new technologies, while simultaneously prioritising support for our traditional competitive farming and fishing industries. The Irish Presidency will continue to advance educational mobility through the Erasmus+ programme, ensuring our workforce is highly skilled and adaptable. Healthy societies are fundamentally productive and competitive. Health innovation is not a secondary concern but a central contributor to Europe's technological leadership. Accordingly, we will prioritise and advance vital legislation on biotechnology and medical devices, driving the long-term innovation, resilience and competitiveness of this indispensable sector. We will also continue to advocate, as I have in recent months, for the development of a task force to set out a more strategic framework for the life science sector - looking at not just the pharmaceutical sector but also the medical technology sector - to ensure we are planning for the future of those importance industries not just for Ireland but for the EU, and doing so in a strategic way. To put it bluntly, we want to ensure that through our competitiveness agenda, in all of the priorities I have outlined and all the actions, policies and legislative files that we progress, we are making it easier for people to do business. It is about removing some of the bureaucracy that we know has come to the fore in recent years. It is about getting rid of duplication. It is about making it easier to access money. It is about supporting business to grow and innovate to allow people to prosper. That is the overall objective and there are many ways in which we intend to do that. The values that we share are the foundation of our Union. They are part of what makes Europe a good place to live and work, and they underpin our competitiveness and security. Fundamentally, they are the very bedrock of who we are. Our Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. These values, mirrored in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are the foundation that makes Europe a safe, prosperous place to live and work. They do not weaken us; they underpin our competitiveness and our security. Now more than ever, the EU must defend and vindicate these values. Our Presidency will make the safety of children online a central priority. We will advocate for an EU-level decision on the digital age of majority, champion robust, privacy-preserving age verification measures, and listen directly to children's views on their own safety. As Ireland takes on the responsibility of the Council Presidency, our values will be central to our policy. Ukraine continues to endure brutal, illegal Russian aggression against its people and its territory. The war has caused profound human suffering and systematic destruction of Ukraine's infrastructure, economy and environment. During the Irish Presidency, we will work tirelessly to enhance the Union's steadfast support for Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia to end its brutal war. Continued political, humanitarian, military and financial support for Ukraine, alongside robust sanctions to pressure Russia, remains an absolute priority. We will continue to demand a just and lasting peace, upholding the fundamental principle that borders cannot be changed by force. It is time for Russia to agree to a ceasefire and to engage in meaningful negotiations towards peace. The Irish Presidency will work to maintain the EU's deep engagement with the United Nations, consistently promoting human rights, women's rights, gender equality and the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons worldwide. We will promote active diplomatic engagement to support lasting peace and security in the Middle East, reaffirming the EU's commitment to a two-state solution. We will continue to work with key partners to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. We will also not lose sight of the sharply deteriorating situation in the West Bank, where massive settlement expansion and rampant and escalating settler violence continues in an atmosphere of impunity. Alongside the situation in Lebanon, these developments demand a serious response. Reflecting our commitment to upholding international law and in response to egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles, the Government has taken the decision to advance the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. The Government’s preference remains that collective action would be taken at EU level. This would have greater impact and is the strongest and most effective route. We continue to actively pursue this. The Commission will bring forward proposals as regards trade with settlements before our first, and my first, Foreign Affairs Council on 13 July. We take on the Presidency today. I will again press for action on an EU-level ban on trade with the settlements. We will also support EU efforts toward stability in Lebanon, Syria and the wider Middle East. We welcome ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States to end the conflict in the Gulf. We must ensure that this brings real and sustainable peace to the region. We must reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, which will bring much-needed relief to the global economy and to our societies. The situation in Lebanon remains extremely concerning. It is important that the EU continues to support the Lebanese Government in its efforts to bring peace and stability to the country. We do not approach the challenge of peacebuilding from a purely theoretical standpoint. The experience of peace on the island of Ireland illustrates the profound importance of dialogue, partnership and sustained international support. The success of the peace process in Northern Ireland, achieved through the commitment of communities and institutions, and heavily backed by the European Union, reflects the unique history of our island. Ongoing EU support, notably through the PEACEPLUS programme, continues to underpin our efforts to strengthen reconciliation, deepen understanding and foster a shared, peaceful future together. The international security environment has changed radically in the past decade. The need for measures to enhance European security and to build our resilience has never been more evident. We know that no country acting alone can address the entirety of existing and emerging security challenges. The Irish Presidency will contribute actively to the ongoing development of our security and defence. As I mentioned, Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the devastating conflicts across the Middle East and the Gulf, and the rapid evolution of hybrid threats and new forms of warfare, including cyber and hybrid threats, present profound challenges to our Continent and have revealed vulnerabilities that all EU member states, including Ireland, must confront. These crises have made one thing unquestionably clear: Europe must invest heavily in all dimensions of its own security and rapidly develop its defence capabilities. As we take up the Presidency, Ireland will work tirelessly to advance concrete measures that strengthen our security, resilience and defence. As I have said before in this House, it is imperative that the EU and its member states continue to provide Ukraine with the support that it needs but that we actively work towards our own security strategy to ensure that the Union can respond dynamically to today's challenges. The Presidency will advance the measures set out in the White Paper on the future of European defence, the associated defence readiness roadmap 2030, and vital new initiatives on joint defence procurement. True security requires us to address critical capability gaps. We will support deep collaboration to build European resilience, particularly in the face of sophisticated hybrid threats which affect all member states, including Ireland. We will continue to highlight the central role of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP. The CSDP framework provides an invaluable contribution to our collective safety and the Irish Presidency will actively promote its development and evolution. To secure our borders and networks, we will advance work on the proposed regulation on military mobility, tackle pressing maritime security challenges, safeguard the security of critical infrastructure and strengthen the Union's collective cybersecurity defences. During our Presidency, Ireland will support the mid-term review of the EU maritime security strategy while focusing on the work we are doing at home, identifying and increasing maritime domain awareness, combating the shadow fleet, and increasing member states’ co-operation on maritime domain awareness, particularly through mechanisms like the common information sharing environment, CISE. Russia's shadow fleet continues to pose a threat to European maritime security so Ireland will encourage and promote co-ordinated EU monitoring and surveillance measures targeting shadow fleet activities in European waters. Greater information-sharing between member states, the implementation of EU sanctions and the reinforcing of the legal framework underpinning our maritime domain are ways to address this threat. I say all this being clear that our constitutional situation and our prerogative and position as a neutral country are not in conflict with everything I outlined. We need to and can work more closely with member states, invest in our economic security and security more broadly, protect critical infrastructure and respond to emerging threats. This is something we must do as a country to make sure we protect, not just our citizens, but also our critical infrastructure while working closely with member states across the EU. I look forward to hosting a dedicated maritime security conference in Dublin in October 2026 where we will bring together owners and operators of critical maritime infrastructure, maritime security policy and legal experts and EU defence policy representatives. Ireland has delivered effectively on our responsibilities in our Presidency of the Council on seven previous occasions, from our first Presidency in 1975 to our most recent term in 2013. I am confident that we will do so again on this occasion. I look forward to working closely with colleagues across this House, with our European partners and with all stakeholders to ensure that Ireland’s Presidency is a success, and most important, one that delivers for people in Ireland, people in Europe and for our shared future.

Sentiment score: 0.36