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Forward to 2 days of what will be, a substantive meeting with a lot of issues that are challenging,

but also looking to create consensus in terms of some key areas to say that under the Irish presidency we've been extremely proactive.

On many, many different areas, particularly on a number of key themes competitiveness, enlargement,

and of course producing the Ngo box in terms of the next European Union budget.

And to say particularly on enlargement, we believe we've made a lot of progress.

In opening quite a number of clusters, particularly in the context of Ukraine and Moldova,

and I would say to my colleagues across Europe that now is the time to be ambitious over the next number of months to open all clusters in respect of Ukraine and Moldova.

The people of Ukraine need that as a very strong signal.

Given the extraordinary pressure they are under from the Russian attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure,

so I think a very clear signal in terms of opening those clusters is something that we are very keen to progress and to finalise that agenda before the end of the year. We've made very good progress on Montenegro.

And we want to make more progress because on the merit-based approach, Montenegro is very close.

There's an obligation of all of us within the EU to enable enlargement to commence to begin again. The last state to join was 2013.

There's no prospect, a real prospect of a new member state in the next year if we keep them. Momentum going on the enlargement.

We also made progress on Albania and others in respect of competitiveness.

I will be sending very strong messages today at the Council,

both to the Parliament and to others that we need to really fulfil the promise of Dragon letter in terms of the one Europe one market. Roadmap.

So on the key files we are delighted to have achieved agreement, political agreement in respect of the savings and investment union. This is a major issue for Europe.

We create a capital markets union that will create capital for SMEs and scaling companies into the future. It's extremely important. In addition to that, the European Inc.

Proposal is very, very important for entrepreneurs, for micro enterprises,

for high potential start-up companies, particularly in the technology AI world now.

Yesterday's AI summit in Ireland, up to 1700 people globally, a lot of new micro enterprises.

All of these people want a common European legal framework to establish businesses.

And some member states have concerns and so on, and what we're saying, the world is watching us.

The young entrepreneurs of Europe are watching the Council, watching the institutions of Europe, and saying,

you know, are you going to respond in a meaningful way through the delivery of EU Inc.

And that's something that we're very keenly focused on. And then thirdly, in terms of simplification. The number of omnibuses we've progressed well.

We just feel that across the institutions we need to move with greater pace and momentum on quite a number of those simplification packages because again the world of enterprises watching to see can Europe deliver more effectively in terms of that simplification of regulation which matters a lot to them on the next budget.

Ireland, we, we, I engaged with all member states.

My team did, and we saw our role as honest brokers,

putting our own preferences to one side and saying we need to produce an ego box that can really catalyse or be a catalyst for negotiations to begin in earnest in respect of the next budget.

We believe there's an imperative to conclude the budget by the end of the year.

And we believe that we've landed the mega box in a situation which enables that to happen.

We've protected capital and cohesion, which was a concern for well over 17 member states.

We've maintained those modern dimensions of the competitiveness fund in respect of Horizon and the elements of that competitiveness fund,

which is still double what was provided for in the outgoing budget, and there are issues obviously.

To be resolved between now and Christmas,

but I think President Costa has a basis now to really move on in terms of the negotiations.

I think the landing zone is one where people will engage.

People will take their positions today, but I do sense that people feel there's a pathway to getting this resolved.

By the end of the year, it is a challenging task because there's a real divergence of opinion between those who want a lower budget and those who want a higher budget and those who want to protect the traditional protect the traditional,

the traditional programmes and others and we're among those who want to have a modern outward looking Europe also in terms of the competitiveness agenda.

There's so much criticism this week of the Irish it's extremely unlikely that agreement will be reached by the end of the year and the Irish draft has essentially made life a lot harder.

That's not the sense we're picking up behind the scenes, be frank with you,

and, we were never going to please everybody on this one, in fact.

The response you have might be positive, in, in, in, in a way, in terms of how these negotiations work, so there's a lot, there, there is a journey to go, it's, it's challenging and it's complex,

and as I said, there's a wide divergence of opinion between, Say a number of countries who make up about 46% of the contributions,

those countries felt it was the commission's budget was too high altogether. They wanted it to come down substantially. We've brought it down significantly. There are others who want cohesion. Protected at all costs.

So it's a very difficult balancing exercise,

but the function of the mega box was to be a catalyst to get negotiations going in earnest. That will happen. They head into the room there. It's up to now.

What's your own Ireland's position on the further cuts to the budgets in competitiveness from the position but again,

we look, we were, we, we had to.

Presidency, so we're going to be constructive players in respect of getting an outcome to this.

I mean my view all along has been a larger budget is required for Europe to attain its objectives,

even though we're net contributors, we benefit from the market, from the single market, and so on.

But that said, this budget, even as it is after the work we've done,

is still higher than the outgoing, budget, so we will contribute in a positive way.

It's very clear to us from our consultations that people want to protect cap and cohesion.

And, but there are other issues that will come onto the table as well, and that may give more latitude by the time this is all over. So there's a lot to play for.

I have to stress that, a lot to play for in terms of how this ends.

Well, look, in the outset, I would have, you know, we're, as I said yesterday.

We believe in a negotiated pathway to resolve this issue. We want a national pay agreement. We have provided substantial funding for that.

We want negotiations to commence in respect of that.

Previous agreements were over 2.5 years, 3 years.

In the past, so there's a framework there that we, we, we, we can create.

I think the most important thing now is for, both sides to, to get into a negotiating process.

I mean this government is pro public service.

We, we even in this budget we've allowed for the expansion of the number of public servants.

If you look back over the last 5 years, there's been a very significant expansion.

Across the public service, and that's important because we have a growing population, we have a growing economy, and that puts strains on public services and pressures on public services, and we acknowledge fully,

the backdrop of a very severe cost of living, pressures, which is not unique to Ireland,

it's across Europe and the world because of conflict and war, We've had COVID now, we've had the war in Ukraine.

We've had tariffs, and now we have the war in the Middle East.

All of that is affecting the cost of living, and we acknowledge that we know that.

That's why the budget brought in tax cuts, brought in.

You know, measures to reduce childcare costs, and measures also to reduce the cost of disability through the new cost of disability payments.

So we made efforts in the budget, to try and deal with that cost of living issue and also the excise duties being deferred out,

you know, so, the subsidies we provided continue, and then we provided 1.2 billion for public service space. So you take all that together.

In my view, there clearly is a platform for negotiations with the public service unions,

and I hope that the behind the scenes work that's going on in terms of finding a proper process will materialise in a negotiating process that will yield an outcome that will be beneficial to public servants into the years ahead. You'll have to go to.

Sorry, look, I'm not going to get into any negotiations should be allowed to commence.

Europe is not alone,

and I think what we've witnessed in recent times is there's been a gravitation towards Europe too by many countries.

Canada, even the United Kingdom, you know, is working solidly with the European Union in respect of Ukraine.

And also we know, look, we've got to stand back too.

Re-engage, we have to continue our engagement with the United States because we've had moments in the past when there were challenges and difficulties in respect of this,

and it was retrieved by good outreach and engagement from Europe with the US, and I have no doubt that will continue,

and I believe we, but we also need to do what we can do.

And the most fundamental thing we can do in Europe now is to recommit to opening all clusters in respect of Ukraine's application.

That would send a powerful signal to the people of Ukraine that Europe is really progressing its pathway to accession.

Of course it's appalling and it's horrific, and it illustrates that Putin is not interested in peace. That's why.

We must manifest our support for Ukraine in the practical ways that we can and certainly the membership agenda is one of those.

Thank you very much indeed Governor Mel I'm just Tony umduce by a rog or a nu hochtoke shohanu to honour quid on gridfi khabadilleguing.

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August to Annuque ayenev egg ochronic naherden e gohee goheks no more keshna shin.

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