EU Presidency
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-21
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Shay Brennan (FF), Dublin Rathdown

There is an expectation that the agreement on the MFF will be reached before the end of 2026. Ireland effectively carries the responsibility for delivering one of the most complex and contested negotiations in recent EU history within that six-month term. These negotiations involve deeply-held national interests across 27 different member states. There are significant disagreements on spending priorities. Overall, there is a total budget of approximately €2 trillion. Does the Minister believe that agreement is genuinely achievable within that timeframe? What commitment can he give that Ireland will do everything in its power to deliver a deal, given the significant reputational dividend that success would bring for Ireland within the EU?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-21