Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his two-day attendance at the European Council on 27 and 28 June 2024. [28371/24]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his two-day attendance at the European Council on 27 and 28 June 2024. [29221/24]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his two-day attendance at the European Council on 27 and 28 June 2024. [29223/24]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the European Council in June. [29422/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together.

I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 27 June. I was delighted to travel to Brussels with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. At the meeting, which had an extensive agenda, leaders and heads of state and government agreed on a package of appointments and nominations to top roles in the Union’s institutions for the next period, adopted our five-year strategic agenda to cover the period to 2029 and agreed a roadmap on internal reforms. We also met President Zelenskyy, discussed Ukraine and returned to our discussions of the Middle East, calling again for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance in Gaza. I repeated my view on the need for the trade agreement to be reviewed regarding the human rights clauses. We discussed short- and medium-term goals in the area of security and defence and touched on a number of other issues including competitiveness, migration, the Black Sea region, Moldova, Georgia and hybrid threats.

On appointments, we decided to nominate Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as President of the European Commission, subject to a vote of the European Parliament; to appoint former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa as President of the European Council; and to nominate Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, as High Representative and vice president of the commission for foreign affairs. The meeting also adopted the EU’s new strategic agenda based around three themes: a free and democratic Europe; a strong and secure Europe; and a prosperous and competitive Europe. The agenda will help to guide the EU’s direction and goals over the next five years, including during Ireland’s Presidency in the second half of 2026. We met President Zelenskyy, who was able to attend in person on this occasion, and expressed our deep concern about the recent escalation of hostilities and intensified attacks on civilians by Russia. The situation has become only worse in recent days. We took stock of the various ways the EU is supporting Ukraine, welcoming in particular the signature of the EU’s security guarantees for Ukraine, as well the first disbursement this summer of extraordinary revenue from Russia’s frozen assets. We called for the Council to agree urgently the release of the first tranche of funding from the Ukraine assistance fund under the European Peace Facility. I am pleased that negotiations towards EU membership were formally opened with Ukraine and Moldova on 25 June in meetings of the Intergovernmental Conferences. This represents a historic step for both countries in their paths towards EU membership. EU membership will be Ukraine’s ultimate guarantee.

We also returned to discussions on the Middle East. We agreed an important set of conclusions, called for all parties to implement the recent UN Security Council resolution on the need for an immediate ceasefire, and called for the release of all hostages and a surge in unhindered humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Crucially, the European Union called for full respect for international law and for the implementation of International Court of Justice, ICJ, orders, including those from 24 May in relation to Israel's offensive in Rafah and the obligation on Israel to provide humanitarian access to Gaza. Leaders reiterated the commitment to a two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state living alongside a secure Israel, as the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace. The action to weaken the Palestinian Authority must stop. We called on Israel to cease illegal settlements, to release any withheld clearance revenue, and to take the necessary steps to ensure the corresponding banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain in place. At our meeting we also called for a de-escalation of tensions along the blue line between Lebanon and Israel.

On security and defence, the European Council considered how to enhance Europe's defence readiness and requested that work on the European defence industry strategy be taken forward. For Ireland it is important that we engage maturely and constructively in these discussions while also ensuring at all times that our position of military neutrality is fully respected. The meeting also reviewed progress on initiatives to enhance competitiveness, to secure economic resilience and to achieve the full potential of the Single Market. We also reviewed progress on enlargement and adopted a roadmap on the parallel task of internal reform. This outlines the steps we need to take to ensure the European Union can continue to be effective in the future, including a European Union with more member states. We also expressed concern about the situation in Georgia, warning its leadership that recent decisions will damage their country's EU perspective. We discussed migration including the need to implement the asylum and migration pact, called for an EU strategy for the Black Sea region and considered how best to tackle hybrid threats.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The European Union makes clear its determination to stand against Putin's barbaric actions in Ukraine. I fundamentally disagree with the alliance that they wish to advance with NATO but we all are horrified about what Putin is doing. Then we look at what is happening today or in the last few days in Gaza. Four schools were attacked with 29 people killed in just one attack on a school. As we speak, Israel is issuing evacuation orders for the whole of Gaza City again. Everybody has been told to get out. In front of the world, Israel is saying "We are doing ethnic cleansing". It is a crime and they do not even pretend. They just do it. The determination Europe displays when it comes to action in Ukraine is sadly missing when this has been going on for nine months in Gaza with schools being blasted. The report in The Lancet is terrifying. The Lancet has said that when we consider the devastation to schools, to power, to water and to electricity, the real death toll is likely to hit in the region of 186,000 people. There are famine conditions and ethnic cleansing but no actions, just words. At what point do we give up and say that the European Union is hypocritical, is riddled with double standards and has no intention whatsoever of doing anything to stop Israel, which it could do? Europe is Israel's biggest trade partner. Weapons flow to Israel from Europe. Many other states give political support to it. When is Europe going to use the power at its disposal to deter this genocide?

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I must put on the record my disgust at the bombing of the children's hospital in Ukraine. It shows the true face of Russian imperialism once again. Ordinary people around the world will feel nothing but disgust for that, and have deep sympathy for the victims. This has nothing in common with the weasel words coming out of the NATO summit from people who are arming a state that is bombing schools and hospitals on a daily basis.

I will now turn to the main point I wish to make today. Reducing the pension age to 60, imposing a wealth tax on the super rich, raising public sector wages, linking salaries to inflation, banning the sale of arms to Israel and mobilising to defeat the far right: this is the programme of the New Popular Front, which won the largest share of the vote in the second round of the French elections. Its victory represents a bruising defeat for the racist far-right National Rally. It also represents a defeat for Emmanuel Macron and his Government of the rich for the rich. It shows how to defeat the far right: a left alternative with radical policies linked to mass mobilisation. I will make the point that this mass mobilisation needs to stay mobilised by building anti-fascist committees in every neighbourhood, school, college and workplace, by challenging the system of the rich, and as a first step by demanding that any new government implements the policy proposals of the New Popular Front. I have gone over my time so I will conclude. Will the Taoiseach comment on how to defeat the far right? I must give my apologies that I have to be elsewhere at 2 p.m. so I will not be able to stay for the reply.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Overnight Israel bombed a school at Khan Younis, killing 25 people. This follows on from a prior Israeli strike against a school over the weekend that killed 16 people. The terrible total is now at four schools bombed in the past four days. A medical journal, The Lancet, said last week that even if the conflict were to end immediately, there would continue to be many indirect deaths in the coming months and years from causes such as reproductive, communicable and non-communicable disease. Over the last eight months, Israel has laid waste to Gaza killing 37,396 civilians, including more than 14,000 children. The Lancet reports that the death toll could be multiples of this. Ursula von der Leyen has been true to her word at the outset of the conflict when she offered Israel unconditional support. She has refused a request of our Government, alongside that of Spain, to review Israel's compliance with its humanitarian obligations under the EU-Israel association agreement. I have spoken to the Taoiseach about the need to deal with other states from the point of view of getting this reviewed. The Taoiseach has endorsed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as President of the European Commission. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House the formal response he has received from the European Commission to his request?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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The far right is on the March across Europe. They topped the poll in six countries in the European Union elections. They came second in another two. They got about 20% right across the EU. A key question is this: how were they defeated? We have debated before whether the so-called "centre" is best placed to defeat them or whether the left is best placed to defeat them. We have seen a kind of laboratory test in France over these two strategies. Macron put forward an immigration law, supposedly to take account of the concerns of those who might otherwise vote for the far right. This law was so bad that Marine Le Pen voted for it. Then Macron called a surprise snap election that opened the door to the Rassemblement National coming first in the first round of those elections. Ultimately the Macron group - the so-called "centrist grouping" - was quite decisively pushed back in terms of its representation. Contrast that with the approach of the left, which came together in the space of a number of days to unite around a radical programme that included the kinds of measures People Before Profit puts forward: a wealth tax, taxes on excess profits, price freezes on energy and a maximum ceiling for inheritance, which is interesting in the context of this country's debate around inheritance tax. The consequences of this, linked with mobilisation on the ground, is that the French left - the New Popular Front - won the election. There is a lesson for us here. Above all else, the lesson is that the left in this country must prepare a left front before the next general election.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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I add my voice in condemnation of the Israeli military killings in the Gaza Strip in recent days, most especially the bombing of people sheltering in a school in the Gaza Strip. I wish to highlight the incredible hypocrisy of the western world. NATO can point the finger at one country for an atrocity but finds it unable to point the finger at another country for equal if not worse atrocities at the same time. That hypocrisy does not just exist on the world stage. There is hypocrisy here in this Chamber too because we have a Government that has condemned Ursula von der Leyen for her ability to distort Irish foreign policy over the length of the Israel-Gaza war but is still seeking our support for Ursula von der Leyen in her efforts to become the Commission President.

Rather than Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael being movements for ideology or policy, it seems to me that they are movements for jobs. In other words, these are strategic manoeuvres that the parties are involved in so their man, in this case the former Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, can get the job he wants within the European Commission. It is just amazing that Fianna Fáil occupied both the position of being in opposition to Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament while also being supportive of her in the Government.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Go raibh maith agat.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Occupying two places at the one time on a particular issue is not unknown for Fianna Fáil as well. The Taoiseach might answer the question about the hypocrisy of the Government in terms of Ursula von der Leyen's support for the IDF's war on Gaza.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank colleagues for raising a variety of issues. First, Deputy Boyd Barrett and I do not agree on a lot on foreign affairs, but I have said in this House recently and in the European Council, as well saying it publicly at the peace summit on Ukraine, that I do believe there is an inconsistency in the approach being taken by many countries in relation to conflict, and not this one. I said before that I do not like this country being described as being pro this or pro that. We are pro international law and pro human rights. This is the lens we bring to all conflicts. We think, therefore, that what is happening in the Middle East is utterly horrific and is in a space that is almost unimaginable in terms of humanitarian catastrophe. We think that the position in terms of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine is also a despicable act of brutality. We can speak out against both. I do find it unfortunate that not all countries do that. Ireland and our Ministers continue to advocate in every international forum, with every leader and with every counterpart with whom we engage, for an end to conflict and violence. We are extraordinarily consistent in relation to that.

It is not for me to speak to other countries' foreign policies, but the European Union is a collection of member states with independent foreign policies, foreign affairs ministers, governments and the likes. While people like to personalise this issue around President von der Leyen, the reality of the situation is that if enough member states of the European Union, those people who sit around the Council table with me, were willing to back the call from Ireland and Spain, and also, Belgium, somewhat, in relation to the review of the trade agreement, it would happen. I think the position of President von der Leyen has been misrepresented intentionally time and time again. Yes, in the early days after the most horrific terrorist attack, which is what it was, by the way, on the Israeli people in October, a horrific terrorist attack that saw the butchering and death of that country's people and heinous crimes, President von der Leyen visited Israel and expressed solidarity with the people of Israel. Israel has moved well beyond simply defending itself and to a position that is utterly unacceptable to us and I think to people right throughout the civilised world. She has supported UNRWA in terms of extra funding.

I hear the Chair ringing the bell. Everybody asks me questions and then he rings the bell and I have not even been able to answer the questions. I know this is not the fault of the Chair.

President von der Leyen wants an immediate cease fire. We believe in a two-state solution. This is now the unanimous view of the European Union.

Perhaps we can exchange views on how to beat the far right in the future. Fundamentally, however, I would be very interested to know the position of the left in this country as to what it would do with Sinn Féin in any such alliance.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I thank the Taoiseach. I cannot touch the bell, sin é an scéal. Bogfaimid ar aghaidh.