Mattie McGrath challenges 20,000 refugee payment and EU focus

I said earlier, how do we end up in an agreement that we have to pay 20,000 per refugee that we are unable to take here, and with the best will in the world to the teams that are trying to work it out and the people giving their homes. How do we end up in that situation? Maybe you could answer me, how come we didn't raise our concerns at this wanton waste of money that we would be given, that kind of money is a penalised death effect without any kind of, I don't want to say trial process is wrong, but without any avenue that we could negotiate this or try and understand it. How did that happen, Minister? Are we just passive, as I said earlier, just nodding our heads at everything they want to do? And secondly, how are we so involved in this Ukraine war in every way about being involved? And we've ignored conflicts that happened all over the world. And I've raised here, thanks to the good officers of Count Crowley a number of times, Deputy Grealish and others, and I, about the persecution of Christians in all parts of the world, and we're dumb and silent on it, and we're nakedly involved in this, you know, other than nearly going out there and fighting ourselves, we want to be everything to support Ukraine, blinkantly, and we know what goes on in Israel and Palestine, but I'm more, there's enough people talking about that, I'm talking about the other parts of the world where massive atrocities are carrying on, where Christians are being persecuted day in, day out. Do they matter at all? Is it the colour of skin of the people that is the problem here? Are we just ignoring those conflicts and totally overwhelmingly involved in this one? No, no. I'd like to thank the Deputies of Count Crowley for their statements and questions. I will now address the further issues that were discussed in the June European Council meeting. The two decades on from the Thessalonica summit declaration, EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Western Balkans and stressed their need to spur reform across the region and accelerate merit-based EU accession. Regional instability underpinned by improved neighbourly relations is critical to the prospect. In that context, leaders condemned recent violence in northern Kosovo and called on parties to de-escalate tensions and re-engage with Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. The EU's Special Representative Leipzig addressed the Joint Committee on EU Affairs two weeks ago. As he outlined, the municipal elections held in order in Kosovo in April may have been legal, but with a turnout of under 4 per cent, they were not legitimate. As such, leaders agreed on the need for early elections for all four municipalities. Beyond that, it is imperative that the Government of Belgrade and Pristina recommit to the agreement on normalisation reached in North Macedonia in March. As the European Council underlined, this must include the establishment of an association of community of Serb-majority municipalities. I made these points myself last month when I visited Serbia and addressed the Prespa Forum in North Macedonia. As a beneficiary of ourselves half a century ago, Ireland has always been amongst the strongest supporters of EU enlargement. If the policy is to be credible, it must be fair and merit-based. To ensure they are prepared for the rigours of EU membership and to protect the integrity of the enlarged Union, the European candidate countries must reform their institutions and meet EU standards. Delivering such reform is difficult, but the rewards are real. As the Special Representative Leipzig observed, Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine has seen a large return to the top of the European political agenda. This presents an opportunity for the Western Balkans if they are prepared to take it. Across the EU, it is our interest to do what we can to aid them in that effort. Ireland, alongside the rest of the European Union, is in favour of finding a comprehensive settlement to the situation in Cyprus in accordance with the relevant EU resolutions. We are strongly supportive of the efforts to facilitate the resumption of negotiations and welcome the European Council conclusions, which highlight the EU's readiness to support that process. The European Council's request for a report from the High Representative and the European Commission on the state of play of EU-Turkia relations is also a positive step. A new EU-Tunisia partnership package covers five key pillars of cooperation between the EU and Tunisia. The package will support the resumption of a political dialogue between the EU and Tunisia, and the 900 million in support to the Tunisian economy will facilitate economic development, investment and trade, in green technology, migration and people-to-people contexts. The Government is also committed to multilateralism and greater engagement with the countries in Africa, as set out in the Government's Africa strategy. The European Council's support for the reinforced presence of the African Union in the international fora, including in the G20, is very welcome. Thank you. Just in relation to a few of the questions. First of all, in relation to Deputy Amorik, who I responded there in relation to Cyprus in my closing remarks. We also met the ambassador from Cyprus today as well, who is actually finishing her term here and again reaffirmed our support for a UN-based solution. We are working through that, and we have been a very strong supporter at the European summits. Secondly, in relation to Israel and Palestine, which a number of deputies have quite rightly raised. I do note that the Tánaiste had a very strong statement out earlier on this month in connection with the condemnation of the illegal settlements and the violence perpetrated by Israel on Palestine. It was very, very strong in terms of the response in relation to it. In relation to the Western Balkans you raised on the road map, I touched on that in my speech. Obviously, we have the six countries in the Western Balkans that we are working very closely with, trying to assist their accession into the EU. I note that President von der Leyen made a significant contribution in Bratislava recently, where we have to see what the flesh and the bones of her terms, where she has set out potential stage membership for some of these countries, so essentially we do not lose them into the future. Also, the Eastern trio with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia is also progressing. I do note that the Commission is going to give an update in September in relation to each of their conditionality and how they are progressing. In relation to the Inflation Reduction Act raised by yourself and Deputy Howland, obviously, on 30 June, at the European Council meeting, the European Commission undertook to do an impact assessment on it, in conjunction with EU member states, and our Department of Enterprise are working with regard to that. I will try and get you an updated note on how it is progressing. We have been, in all our discourse over the period, to be very strong in not distorting the single market, ensuring that we do not enter into a subsidies race, and that there is an evidence-based approach to any decisions that are taken, because there is a significant risk, obviously, as you have pointed out here before, for countries with bigger economies to absorb the bigger industrial bases, and that is a present risk to Ireland. Obviously, we are keeping a very, very close order on that. In relation to China, as you have quite rightly raised, obviously, the human rights issues are very significant. I do know that the Tánaiste made a significant contribution in relation to our policy on China quite recently, and covered in very detail in terms of his concerns that were well reported at that time. I think in terms of where Europe is looking, it is trying to de-risk in terms of its reliance on China, and that is a big part of our strategy. If you look at it in terms of the Critical Raw Materials Act, pieces of legislation that are coming forward like that, in terms of trying to get to grips with the green transition, that we are not reliant on a country of its scale, and only it arguably, for some of these components, and leave ourselves very vulnerable in keeping the pace with that technology. In relation to Tunisia, I have referenced that in my speech there, also Deputy Boyd Barrett. I do hear your concerns, and I will relay those concerns back. It can be difficult in terms of getting a balance trying to have bilateral agreements to improve other countries, improve their environmental standards, green technology, and also issues around migration, which are a huge issue on that side of Europe. We will work, and I will raise your concerns, obviously, that you have put in the House, which are very troubling indeed, and I will raise those. In relation to Deputy McGrath, in terms of migration, I think Deputy Howlin raised as well. Obviously, at the moment, in terms of the conclusions to the EU summit that were not reached, whereby the President did give a summation himself in relation to it. Obviously, the two countries in question are not as accepting of the QMV process now. I want to bring it into the unanimity forum at the European Council, which obviously the decision was taken already for the two pieces, the asylum and migration management regulation and the procedure regulation. Obviously, work has to continue on both of those. I do not think we have made a Cabinet decision yet that we are going to be part of it, but I understand the Government is positively looking at it. Obviously, the key tenets of that are trying to, in the first instance, ensure that our procedure is quickly to adjudicate on safe countries, and the 12-week period is contained in that procedure regulation. Also, in relation to what was referenced by Deputy McGrath in terms of the burden-sharing aspect of it. In relation to, you were talking about caps or limits on Ukraine, I think in the first instance we have to be very careful that we do not breach the Convention of Human Rights. We are a very outward-looking country in Ireland. I think we can all be very proud of that. If you look back over the last 50 years where we have come from, whereby almost 5 per cent of our population was born abroad 50 years ago, we know it is one in every five. That just shows you how outward-looking country we are. I think we are all the better for that diversity as a country. I do note in terms of, in my community, the huge heroic work communities are doing, rising up to the challenge to really assist and provide all the services for Ukrainian citizens who find themselves in this awful position. We really have to be effusive in our support, I believe, for Ukraine to maintain, obviously, the international rules-based order and the aggression, and particularly for children, which was referenced in the debate earlier on. I was very struck by the amount of children that have been abducted and taken into Russia, almost like a major reset, which is very distressing to hear some first-hand testimony of that, which I did when I was over in the UN. In relation to Deputy Pringle and the European Peace Facility, there is a key component of that, like Ireland takes forward in neutrality. I have mentioned here before how I was struck by my Austrian colleague, that when she was out in Ukraine and a missile hit a building adjacent to where she was, that when the first responders and the firefighters were out trying to save people and obviously quench the flames, they were wearing Austrian uniforms. That could really show, through that facility, what her country was doing in a neutral capacity and really brought it home. Ireland can be very proud of what it is doing in terms of bringing spare parts for its grid, the public infrastructure that has been damaged, we have heard about the dam, water parts and also key supports that ordinary citizens need there. I think I have hopefully went round most of them. Frontex. We are not part of Frontex, so that is the external border. It is part of the European Union, but each country has its own agreement with Frontex, and obviously that is the external border. I am not aware of any funding we are providing to them. I was just checked that point for you. I have that. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. President. I've had that. Thank you. I think it was much more important to them, but let's check that point for you. . I had that. Thank you. That goes. Thank you. Very no good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.