Taoiseach Micheál Martin met Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss reducing energy costs across Europe. Martin said competitiveness would be a key focus during Ireland’s EU Council presidency starting in July. He said Ireland would advance the One Europe, One Market roadmap to simplify rules, deepen the Single Market, and drive AI transformation, aiming for a step change in Europe’s economic performance. Martin described the roadmap deadline as ambitious and said Ireland would put full weight behind achieving it while negotiating the EU budget amid economic challenge. They also discussed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, with Martin praising Italy’s humanitarian contribution for Gaza and supporting Ukraine.
"“The deadline we have set for ourselves for this task (the roadmap) is very ambitious, but as president we will put our full weight behind achieving them,” he said during a joint press conference at the Palazzo Chigi after the meeting."
"“I am in full agreement with prime minister Meloni that the competitiveness challenge is vital for the continued prosperity and success in Europe. We are committed to giving this our best shot,” he said of negotiating the EU budget at a time of economic “challenge”."
"“I want to acknowledge the work of prime minister Meloni and the Italian government in terms of its humanitarian work in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon. “A very strong contributor. “We do need much higher volumes of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza, we need an end to violence in the West Bank, with the settlements that are occurring there, and we need to open up a genuine pathway for dialogue for a resolution of these conflicts.”"
"Mr Martin said they both discussed the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. He praised Italy's “significant” contribution to humanitarian aid for Gaza and said both nations were “unswerving” in their support for Ukraine."
Read at Irish Independent
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