Matt Carthy
Question:83. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his engagements with the government of Moldova; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23648/24]
View answerTuesday, 28 May 2024
Questions (83)
Written answers
Ireland enjoys warm bilateral relations with Moldova, and I and my colleagues in Government regularly engage with our Moldovan counterparts on issues of importance.
In December, Ireland supported the European Council decision to open accession negotiations with Moldova, with the negotiating framework to be adopted once Moldova had met certain key outstanding requirements. This was in recognition of the significant progress that Moldova has made in implementing the required reforms.
I reiterated this support when I met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Moldova Mihail Popsoi in February at the Munich Security Conference. I spoke of the transformational effect EU membership has had on Ireland and my wish for the Moldovan people to share in a similar transformation.
The Taoiseach met with Prime Minister Dorin Recean in January at Davos, and further emphasised Ireland’s support for Moldova, particularly in the context of the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Moldova.
Then Minister of State for European Affairs, Peter Burke TD, attended the 4th meeting of the Moldova Support Platform in Chisinau on 17 October 2023, where he announced €2 million in funding for Moldova, to be channelled through a World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund. This followed an earlier commitment in December 2022 of €5M to the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Moldova. Minister Burke also had a series of bilateral engagements, including with then Moldovan State Secretary for EU Affairs Stela Leuca, with whom he discussed Moldova’s progress towards EU accession.
Minister Carroll MacNeill also recently met with Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov in the margins of the April General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, and discussed Ireland’s support for Moldova’s European membership aspirations and ongoing reform process.
The recent Government decision to open a resident Embassy in Chisinau is a sign of our deepening bilateral ties, and a signal of Ireland’s support to Moldova, particularly in the context of Moldova seeking EU membership.
Ireland will continue to engage with the Government of Moldova in the context of its EU accession process, the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and on issues of bilateral importance.