I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue that is central to Ireland's economic progress and development and related issues in energy resilience, security and defence, and agriculture. The Presidency is important and it will commence on 1 July next year. It is an important opportunity for Ireland to shape the agenda, particularly at a time of change and increasing global challenges. The Deputy is right to reference Brexit. The most recent report from the central bank in the UK illustrates the very damaging impact Brexit has had on the British economy and GDP growth, or the absence of growth - it was -6% - and in respect of investment. I welcome those from the Charleville school. It is disconcerting when a Limerick TD is introducing a Cork school, but we will get over that. In any event, they are most welcome and we will meet them later. The Deputy raised housing. It was interesting, yesterday, when the President of the European Council was here. Uninvited, he raised the issue of housing as a Europe-wide issue. It is growing in importance in terms of the European Union. It can be quite helpful to look at directives again and areas that impede the building of houses and infrastructure. The Deputy is very prescient in identifying housing as a Europe-wide issue. We can get added value from how Europe approaches new directives or, indeed, existing directives that inadvertently impede the acceleration of housing development. Last week, I met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. There is no question that security and defence issues are very serious issues for Europe now. We witnessed that with the emergence of drones off our coast last week, but that is part of a pattern. As the President said himself at the press conference yesterday, it is the new norm. In Copenhagen, there was the emergence of drones during the European political council, and in France and Belgium. There has been a pattern of behaviour in the Baltic Sea, which is quite worrying, and also in Poland in terms of the train track there. There are serious issues facing security. Our vulnerabilities are without question in subsea cables, critical undersea infrastructure and gas connectors. We need to be very clear. I see that as an emergency from a security perspective. That is why we are developing the State-backed strategic gas emergency reserve. This is a security imperative. People have criticised it in the context of climate and other issues. The Irish economy needs backup in energy resilience. This is a crucial project. It is an ongoing issue.

Sentiment score: 0.15

When we came into government, there were three big issues in agriculture that the Government identified. The first was the extension of the nitrates derogation, the second was Mercosur and, third, albeit not in any order of priority, was the multi-annual financial framework, which as currently drafted is not sufficient. I think it is about 80% of the last CAP. There is a lot of negotiation on that. It looks like the multi-annual financial framework will fall to our Presidency for resolution and conclusion. The Commission has been extremely constructive with us. I had number of engagements with the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. I have to record that she was particularly constructive on the nitrates derogation. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, did very significant work with his counterpart and with the environment Commissioner, as did the Minister for housing, James Browne, in the context of the habitats directive and having the various plans ready for the extension of the derogation. We have engaged with the Commission on the Mercosur deal. The Commission has responded to the like-minded countries - France, Italy, Ireland and others - in respect of safeguards and stronger sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, standards. It has now issued a legal instrument to try to copper-fasten that. It is not the same deal as the previous one but we are still examining that with other like-minded countries.

Sentiment score: 0.19