128. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for a report on the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 16 March 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22530/26]

As I was undertaking an official Saint Patrick’s Day visit to Boston, Ireland was represented at the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 16 March by Ireland's Permanent Representative to the EU Aingeal O’Donoghue. There were three main items on the FAC agenda: Russian aggression against Ukraine; the situation in the Middle East; and the relationship between the EU and its Southern Neighbourhood.

The Council discussed Russian aggression against Ukraine. There was an exchange of views with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who joined by VC. Ministers discussed the potential impacts of the war in the Gulf for Ukraine, including on peace talks, the supply of critical military equipment, and rising oil prices. Ireland joined other Member States in emphasising the need to maintain the focus on support for Ukraine, including through the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan. We stressed the need to secure agreement on the 20th package of sanctions, and welcomed the additional individual sanctions listings which were adopted during the meeting. Ireland's intervention also recognised the progress Ukraine has made towards EU accession, which will be an important priority for Ireland in the coming months and during our EU Presidency.

The discussion on the Middle East focused on the current conflict in the Gulf and the wider region. Ireland expressed solidarity with Cyprus and all those directly impacted by the conflict in the region. Ireland's intervention emphasised the importance of respect for international law including international humanitarian law, and called for restraint and de-escalation by all parties. Ireland also expressed concerns regarding the situation in Lebanon in light of Israeli military operations, the further tightening of restrictions on access for humanitarian aid in Gaza, and ongoing Israeli actions in the West Bank which threaten the viability of the two State solution. Support for the repatriation of EU citizens stranded in the region was also discussed. The Commission announced almost €500 million in new humanitarian funding for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

EU relations with the Southern Neighbourhood were also discussed. The HR/VP Kaja Kallas and the Commission updated Ministers on the implementation of the Pact for the Mediterranean ahead of a Leaders' discussion at the Informal European Council in Nicosia at the end of April. This was welcomed by Member States who stressed the need to progress the associated Action Plan.

An informal exchange took place over breakfast on the European Security Strategy. Ministers also met over lunch with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, for an informal discussion on bilateral relations and international developments. This included consideration of progress on the implementation of key deliverables arising from the EU-India Summit in January.