TAOISEACH Micheál Martin is in Brussels this week to attend a meeting of the European Council.
The event, which takes place today and tomorrow, is the first such meeting to take place under Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“This is a significant meeting of the European Council, with an agenda of issues of real importance to our citizens,” the Taoiseach said this morning.
Topics set to be discussed include efforts to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, the EU’s next multiannual budget, which will cover the years 2028 to 2034, and the member states’ continued support for Ukraine.
“We will focus once again on the essential task of improving Europe’s competitiveness,” Mr Martin said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is in Brussels this week“I will update my fellow leaders on the implementation of the One Europe One Market Roadmap, a core priority of our Presidency and I will emphasise the need for a collective effort to pick up the pace of our work and to maintain the level of our ambition,” he added.
“I will be highlighting where we have made progress, but I will also be asking for their help in getting some important files over the line. 2026 must be the year of delivery.”
Budget discussions are likely to hinge on a ‘compromise proposal’ published by Ireland last week under its EU Presidency role.
The draft, announced on Saturday, October 10, proposed an eight per cent cut in the EU Commission’s original proposal of a budget worth €1.72 trillion running from 2028-2034.
Ireland’s proposed cuts would reduce the size of the budget by €141 billion.
“The Union needs a budget that can deliver the policies and programmes we need to meet our future ambitions,” the Taoiseach said today.
“Last weekend the Irish Presidency tabled our compromise proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework.
“In it, we aimed to protect the Union’s successful policies, including CAP and Cohesion, while also focussing on future-oriented policies that can help improve our competitiveness.
“We believe it represents a good and balanced basis for the negotiations ahead.
“I look forward to this week’s discussions and to working closely with President Costa and his team to secure agreement by the end of the year.”
Elsewhere this week the Council will address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its progress in achieving EU member status.
“In our meeting, we will also discuss EU enlargement and I will be briefing colleagues on the progress we have been able to make in negotiations with Montenegro and Albania, as well as Ukraine and Moldova,” Mr Martin said.
“Enlargement is a priority for us as Presidency and we will continue to drive forward during our term.”
He added: “I expect that the European Council will also want to send out a strong message of unwavering support to Ukraine and its people as it faces into another very difficult winter.
“We will be working to ensure that it has what it needs to continue to defend its people and to secure its future.
“We will also take stock of developments in the Middle East. In a very turbulent world, I will be urging my fellow Leaders not to lose sight of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the unprecedented settler violence in the West Bank.
“Since the last European Council meeting, Ireland has enacted legislation prohibiting the importation of goods from Israeli illegal settlements.
“Other countries have followed our example. To maximise our impact and to safeguard the two-state solution, the Commission should bring forward a similar proposal at an EU level.”
Everything from irishpost.com and the print edition is available on the Irish Post App — plus more! Download it for Android or Apple IOS devices today.