Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Ordinary meeting
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EMPL European Parliament
Follow its sittingsDara Calleary
Safe, high quality jobs should be our aim.
Simplification and better coordination of employment and social security rights do not mean a race to the bottom. The presidency will seek to highlight key European initiatives on employment, including the quality jobs roadmap and act and the forthcoming fair labor mobility package. These initiatives are at the heart of the European employment agenda. They seek to address multiple dimensions of quality jobs such as working conditions, access to social protection, skills, equality, social dialogue and collective bargaining. The fair labor mobility package, which we expect to be published during our presidency, is identified as a priority in the One Europe, One Market roadmap.
It aims to promote a more efficient EU labor market through enhanced worker mobility by promoting better workers' rights and a level playing field across member states. The Irish presidency will seek to engage with the fair labor mobility agenda, focusing on the proposal to develop a digital European security pass, ESPASS, to make it easier for individuals to exercise their social security rights when they are in another member state, to strengthen the mandate of the European Labor Authority to better support the effective implementation and enforcement of fair working conditions.
One issue that we are all facing is that of digitalisation and the adoption of artificial intelligence and its apparent unprecedented pace of change. While the adoption of AI offers some opportunities, including the potential for increased productivity, it may be part of the answer in how Europe responds to its changing demographics, it also poses significant challenges. To respond to these challenges, Europe must invest in upskilling and reskilling programs, must promote ethical AI standards and ensure that the benefits of technological progress are widely shared. Supporting workers through transition and fostering social dialogue will be vital as Europe adapts to this new area, but one we must adapt in order to protect the living standards of our citizens. The Presidency will host a high-level conference focused on the thematic issue of the future of work.
This conference will bring current discussions on the future of work to the fore, facilitating a high-level examination of the leading trends, the challenges, disruptions and strategies that are shaping our modern workplace. EU has a comprehensive body of laws and policies that govern work, social rights and labour markets.
It is essential that the drive for competitiveness strengthens socio-economic resilience and is underpinned by a level playing field for business that raises standards for citizens across the Union. Is minic a mbíonn éileamh ar an t-acht nua, toisc nach mbíonn téarmaí soiléire ag rialacha agus rialacháin atá ann cheana féin, agus go n-oibríonn siad i n-uaimh lán in áit bheith ina bhfeidhmíocht féin. Ag ár gcruinniú neamhfhoirmiúil an tseachtain seo chugainn, amharcfaimid ar phlé fiontarach faoi conas a leanann an tAontas Eorpach de bheith ag cinntiú go bhfuil ardleibhéal cosanta ann d'oibrithe, agus iad ag tacú le tráchtáil agus ag laghdú ualaí rialacha agus rialacháin, rud atá bunriachtanach chun bonn láidir a chur faoi obair, mar chosaint shóisialta agus margadh saothair d'oibrithe a chur chun cinn. Ina theannta sin, bíonn éifeacht dhíreach ag géarchéim an chostais mhaireachtála ar an mbochtaineacht, a bhfuil an bhoilsciú agus ganntanas tithíochta mar bhonn leis ar ghrúpaí leochaileacha. Tá réaltacht beartas nua-aimseartha an Choimisiúin de dhíth chun déileáil leis an oibríocht seo.
The publication of the Commission of the European Union anti-poverty strategy seeks to set out a comprehensive approach to prevent and protect against poverty with an ambition to eradicate poverty within the EU by 2050. Our presidency will support work that delivers on our commitments to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty and improve social inclusion across the EU. Progressing this file and reinforcing the European Pillar of Social Rights is a priority for the Irish presidency. The discussion last week at the informal council noted that to address poverty and social exclusion, social protection systems need to be agile, right policies and services directed to the right people at the right time. Alongside social protection, it was noted that those considerations need to extend beyond income supports and into the areas of housing, education, and healthcare, which often deepens exclusion from society.
Our respective social protection systems must continue to provide security while promoting participation in the labour market. We need to ensure our citizens, irrespective of background or the barriers they face, whether that be disability, being a lone parent, literacy issues, or others, are supported in transitioning from welfare to work.
In November, we will host a high-level conference entitled Empowering Journeys: Local Innovation, National Systems and European Collaboration in Galway, and that will focus on addressing and preventing intergenerational poverty. We want to keep a focus on social inclusion, not just on income supports, but on the tools that can enable people to live a full life. Presidency will work to complete a number of equality reforms that are aimed at safeguarding rights and protecting the most vulnerable from discrimination. Ireland is committed to ensuring we close the gaps in our EU legal framework, including seeking Council agreement on the Equal Treatment Directive. We will work constructively to find a way forward.
With the enhanced EU Disability Strategy, and as we mark the 20th anniversary of the UNCRPD, we will place a focus on how Member States can collectively do better to improve the lives of disabled people in Europe. A key focus of our Presidency will be on addressing the disability employment gap, in particular on those policy levers, especially for employers, that can successfully harness the skills and talents of people with disability to allow them to contribute to a more inclusive and competitive economy. My focus will be on the full participation in social and economic life for the almost 100 million people who live with a disability in the European Union.
We will also host a high-level conference on disability. An informal meeting of equality members, ministers, will be hosted by my colleague Minister Foley in County Kerry in November to discuss the important work that needs to be done to achieve gender equality, as well as hosting a dedicated session on disability. Through other high-level conferences and events, we will help drive forward the Union of Equality agenda and support the EU commitments in key areas such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and Roma and Traveller rights. Housing will be a key focus and in November, Ireland will host an informal meeting of the EU ministers responsible for housing to provide a high-level platform for experience sharing and dialogue, including on the key elements of the European Affordable Housing Plan that the Commission put forward last year. Chair, in summary, it's imperative that we work together across all EU institutions to continue to build a future in which every one of our fellow European citizens has an opportunity to thrive in a changing world.
Our strength is by working together. I'm confident in that unity we will protect the values and we will enhance the quality of life for all Europeans.
I look forward to working positively with you, Chair, and with the committee on progressing our shared agendas. Go raibh maith agat agus thar n-ais chugat a Chathaoirligh, go raibh maith agat.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much, Minister, for this presentation. We are also very much looking forward to the cooperation. We will now move on to the Q&A session with two rounds. So we will first have the group coordinators or other group representatives. And I thought I would take it in two blocks, meaning a few questions and then answers, and then the second round.
So if there are members wishing to take the floor in the second round, please indicate that. But we start with the group coordinators or other group representatives, one and a half minutes per question. Mr. Radtke from the EPP, please.
Dennis Radtke
Ja, ich werde auf Deutsch sprechen. Ja, sehr geehrter Herr Minister, herzlichen Dank für Ihren Besuch und die Gelegenheit zum... Is it working? Minister, is it working? Ja.
Vielen Dank für Ihren Besuch und die Gelegenheit zum Austausch hier.
Sie haben in Ihrem Statement auf mehrere Punkte hingewiesen, die für uns im Ausschuss hier natürlich eine ganz besondere Bedeutung haben, wenn wir uns die gesetzgeberischen Aktivitäten mit Blick auf Soziales bisher anschauen. Wir waren ja eher damit beschäftigt, noch offene Dinge abzuarbeiten. Liebe Gabi, 883, damit wird sich die irische Ratspräsidentschaft jetzt Gott sei Dank nicht mehr beschäftigen müssen. Das ist schon weg. Aber jetzt geht es eben darum, den Blick nach vorne zu richten.
Und Sie haben die Weiterentwicklung der europäischen Säule der sozialen Rechte angesprochen, ein Punkt, der diesem Ausschuss hier natürlich besonders am Herzen liegt. Vielleicht könnten Sie da einfach auch noch mal was zu Ihren konkreten Vorstellungen sagen. Und dann haben wir natürlich auch mit Blick auf die Quality Jobs Roadmap, auch da ist die Erwartungshaltung hoch. Aber da ist ja auch immer noch Blackbox, was genau wird die Kommission jetzt präsentieren und in welcher Form wird sie es präsentieren. Gerade die Frage zukünftiges ELA-Mandat hat für uns als Europäische Volkspartei eine große Bedeutung.
Vielleicht könnten Sie dazu auch noch ein paar Gedanken verlieren, wie Sie etwas konkreter darauf schauen. Danke schön.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus muid an-sásta a bheith anseo. Agus guím gach rath ar an mbeirt agaibh sa choiste seo i gceann cúpla seachtaine. Ba mhaith liom cúpla ceist a chur ort maidir le cearta na n-oibrithe in Éirinn. Bhíomar thall mar choiste ar ball cúpla mí ó shin agus bhíomar ag caint le lucht oibre agus ICTU. Agus chuir siad in iúl dúinn an baol ón gceist seo as an bpost.
An rud atá ag na ceardchumainn in Éirinn, ach go háirithe ó thaobh comhargála de. Agus an mbeidh an Rialtas sásta cinneadh a dhéanamh faoi sin mar tá sé i bhfad níos deacra do na ceardchumainn cearta na n-oibrithe a chur chun cinn in Éirinn i gcomparáid leis na tíortha eile san Aontas Eorpach. Bhí mé an-tógtha leis an méid a dúirt tú maidir le bochtanas agus maidir le tithíocht. Táimid ag iarraidh go mbeadh muid ag cur ar dhaoine nach bhfuil teach acu. Tá an-chuid daoine gan dídean, ach go háirithe i mBaile Átha Cliath.
Tá ceithre mhíle páiste gan dídean i mBaile Átha Cliath. Agus beidh sé mar íomhá agat, a Aire, go mbeimid ag cur an cheist sin le linn ár n-uachtaránachta. Go raibh maith agat.
Thank you very much.
I will give the floor to the Minister for answers.
Dara Calleary
Go raibh maith agat a dhuine uasail. Go raibh maith agat as an deis labhairt anseo inniu. Just to member Radtke in relation to the European Pillar of Social Rights, it remains a very reliable policy compass. It offers guidance in policy choices. As a presidency, we're very strongly committed to the principles of the pillar because they support a strong and a competitive social Europe.
The presidency is working on several sets of Council conclusions that are relevant to the pillar in relation to equality and in relation to the disability employment gap. And I am placing a particular focus on that and I placed it at the heart of our informal last week. We also have a number of high-level conferences that are pillar-related, for instance equality and competitiveness and disability and particularly on intergenerational poverty, which we will be doing in Galway in November and I certainly very much invite you to be at that. We are very much looking forward to the publication by the Commission on the action plan. We will engage with them in those negotiations.
In relation to the quality jobs roadmap, we will support the initiatives that are working there. A key part of discussion during our presidency will be how we can continue to support high-quality jobs within modern labor markets. And as I said in my opening remarks, we are placing a particular emphasis on that during our presidency. I think we all have to work collectively to do that. It will be through skilling, through upskilling, and through other initiatives as well.
In relation to, as I said, the digital transition is something that is happening as we speak. It is another industrial revolution that we are living through, and we have to make sure that none of our citizens lose out. We cannot repeat the mistakes of previous industrial relations in this one, and we've got to make sure that we work to that. In relation to Member Arimont's points, homelessness and housing is a key focus of this government, and that is why we are having an informal summit during the course of our presidency to share experiences from across Europe. As you know, supply is a major issue, and we are working to increase supply not just in Ireland, but we will learn from our European colleagues.
And President von der Leyen, when she visited with the College of Commissioners two weeks ago, has committed to a summit on housing as well. During, we just have to sort through the dates and arrangements of that.
We don't want any children in emergency accommodation. The way to solve that is increasing supply, increasing the availability of housing. We are focused on that, and we're happy to work with any and learn from any European experiences in relation to that. In relation to workers' rights, as you know, we have a voluntarist system in Ireland. It has stood the country very well in terms of a country that has full employment, and we are constantly working to refine that system.
Labour mobility is at the core, it's a fundamental freedom. In relation to, just to come back to your point, but also to Member Radtke's point in relation to the European Labour Authority, the ELA, it shows that there's merit. The Commission's report shows there's merit to strengthen the ELA mandate that will support the effective implementation and enforcement of fair working conditions.
The fair labor mobility package is a priority for the presidency and we will certainly work in relation to that, in relation to strengthening workers' rights across the Union during our presidency. And I make very clearly, that can be done. That can be done without impacting on the competitiveness of the European Union. I think the two of them are linked very much. Competitiveness and values are two of the key priorities of our presidency as we go forward.
Jana Toom
Yes, thank you very much, Minister. It's good to see you again. I will not beat around the bush and go directly to the questions. Your presidency will play a key role in the discussion on the budget for the next seven years. Can we expect a standalone ESF with adequate resources at the end of these discussions?
In this committee, we have made it clear that investing in people, a resilient workforce, and inclusive and cohesive societies is fundamental for Europe as a whole. What is your plan for how to strengthen European Child Guarantee in the new budget period? Second, the Renew group visited Cork earlier, as you know, and some colleagues, not me unfortunately, I preferred Jameson Distillery, shame on me, but some of us visited Tyndall Institute that not only produces groundbreaking research on semiconductors, but also equips the researchers and other professionals with the practical knowledge and skills needed to perform in the high-tech sector.
What can the EU do to make sure that we have more and more opportunities for developing skills in the high-tech sectors in the future? The Irish presidency plans to focus on the enforcement of the current EU laws to ensure the protection of workers' rights, which we can all support in this committee. And I'm very interested in full implementation of the Minimum Wage Directive and the requirements to promote collective bargaining, as well as the Pay Transparency Directive, where we see that little progress is being done in so many member states. While the Commission is in charge of checking that countries abide by the EU rules, do you see that something more could be done in the Council to help this process? And finally, on the first-ever anti-poverty strategy, we know that it will only make a difference if we follow up with concrete actions.
What specific elements will the presidency prioritize to meet the 2050 poverty eradication target? Thank you.
Maria Ohisalo
Thank you very much, Chair. And hi, good to see you again, dear Minister Kelleher. Thank you very much for joining us today here, and please allow me to start by wishing you a successful period at the helm of the Union for the next six months.
Ireland has committed during its presidency to strengthening efforts to improve workplace health and safety standards and making European workplaces safer, healthier, and more productive. As we speak, we are reminded that the increasing frequency of extreme heat events has become one of the key occupational safety and health risks across the Europe and EU. Some member states have actually introduced some heat stress indicators and even binding limits, mandatory rest breaks, and sector-specific protections for outdoor and high-exposure workers. However, the European legal framework remains patchy at best. So what measures do you intend to advance at EU level during your presidency to strengthen the protection of workers from extreme temperatures?
Could also be cold, we know that it's not only the heat question. Will you prioritize the issue in any way, support the development of common binding EU standards?
Kathleen Funchion
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus go raibh maith agat, a Aire, agus fáilte. Agus go raibh maith agat as do láthair. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil tú an-bhródúil as ár dteanga, agus de bharr sin táim chun mo cheist a chur as Gaeilge.
Is am tábhachtach é seo d'Éirinn agus don Aontas Eorpach. Ba mhaith liom tús a chur le ceist faoi thithíocht, mar ar fud na Gaeltachta, beidh tú ar an eolas faoi an ghéarchéim tithíochta inár nGaeltachtaí. An féidir leat leagan amach a dhéanamh ar cad iad na pleananna atá agaibh chun cinntiú go mbeidh glúin nua fágtha inár nGaeltachtaí? Agus an dara ceist, a Aire, tá an dara ceist agam ná faoi iomaíochas, nó competitiveness. Tá an rialtas ag cur béim ar iomaíochas le linn an uachtaránacht.
Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé ceart chun iomaíochas a chur roimh ár gcearta agus na caighdeáin atá againn san Eoraip. Mar sin, an bhfuil straitéis agaibh chun cearta oibrithe a chosaint agus an timpeallacht a chosaint chomh maith? And I also want to wish you the very best of luck, Aire. We always had a very good working relationship in our national parliament, but I have to say, as Kerry is in Ireland South, I'll have to keep my allegiances to Kerry from Mayo, but best of luck in the role.
All right, thank you very much. And then it's time for answers, so Minister, please, the floor is yours.
Dara Calleary
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Just in relation to Madam Thore, firstly, in relation to the budget, we're committed to trying to continue the work of the Cypriot presidency. And I want to thank and acknowledge the work which culminated in the first negotiation of a negotiation box. We will continue to advance negotiations to bring agreement on the key issues, such as the overall size of the budget and certainly where the EU should focus its expenditure. We will continue to, certainly within this presidency, within this Council, we will continue to promote the values of our presidency around it.
But there's quite a lot of work to be done here. We will listen to all the views as the honest broker in the presidency. And at the core, the budget, and whatever budget is agreed, is an expression of the priorities, and most importantly, the priorities of our citizens. And we need to make sure that those priorities are highlighted within the budget, and we'll continue to do that. In relation to the child guarantee, this is a big priority.
You have 15 million people are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. 5 million of those are children.
We're nowhere near the target in the European Union or in many of our member states. And the fact that nearly one child in four faces the risk of poverty and social inclusion needs to drive us on. I think the child guarantee has brought a focus, it's improved access to services for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Access to quality jobs is also part of that for the parents of these children. And employment is a road out of poverty.
But we will continue to work in the member states, with each member state as to their implementation of the child guarantee. And we will continue to follow the work of the Social Protection Committee. But I can assure you that poverty generally, and that brings me on to your other point, is absolutely essential. And we want to drive on the implementation of the anti-poverty plan. It's the first time, it's kind of hard to believe it's the first time that there's a combined Commission proposal on a poverty plan for across Europe.
And I want to absolutely put that at the heart of our presidency over the course of the next number of months. I'll say to you very respectfully that it is a skill to be a distiller as well. And Ireland is famed for the skills of food. So you also looked at a skills-based industry when you visited the distillery. But what you saw in Tindal was an expression of our determination that skills and reskilling and upskilling is a constant journey.
It's not one that can be parked, you have to go on it. And you have to bring people with you on it and we've invested significantly in that. And we look forward to sharing our experiences of skills, particularly in a labour market that is transformative as the one at the moment. The Union of Skills is the strategic framework that responds to labour and skill challenges across Europe. I know Council has adopted the recommendation on human capital which will look to member states to provide more upskilling to address the skills gaps that are there.
We also need to be much more efficient in recognising qualifications, recognising qualifications across borders. And we want to drive the simplification agenda around skills to reduce the regulatory and administrative burdens to allow our citizens bring their skills with them as they traverse to work across the European Union. And we're definitely focused on skills and driving on the skills agenda within the European Union. To Madame Hochstetter, thank you for your welcome. Even in Dublin this week, the temperatures have been extreme for Dublin.
And I think there's a much bigger awareness now.
We had a council meeting in Luxembourg two weeks ago, a very good discussion around this. And we certainly, as a presidency, are very alert to the concerns on extreme temperatures. The point you make, that there are many of our citizens that experience this on the other side of this, and we need to be alert to those as well. So we will consider any harmonised proposal and any proposals that come forward on this in terms of an across-Union basis. But I think the temperatures we're experiencing now and those that many of our citizens experience during the winter, they are a warning to employers that they have a duty to their employees to protect them in as much as they can.
Sé an dath le dath eile arís, an t-ochtú bhunsin, agus tá súil agam nach mbeidh an t-am ag fuarú in Ciarraí agus go mbeidh tú ann linn. Tá cúpla rud ar siúl le haghaidh cúrsaí tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Tá muid tar éis fáil siúd dréacht-treoirlínte pleanála, dréacht-treoirlínte pleanála le haghaidh na Gaeltachta. Is é an chéad uair go bhfuil dréacht-treoirlínte pleanála ann le haghaidh an Ghaeltacht. An chéad uair go bhfuil na Gaeltachtaí ag teacht le chéile.
Tá obair le déanamh ar an dréacht-reachtas sin, téann go mór sin. An dara rud, tá lán tithí folúntas sa Ghaeltacht, sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Táimid ag cur sensus le chéile faoi na uimhreacha de na tithí folúntas sa Ghaeltacht agus ag obair leis na cuidiú atá ann le haghaidh na tithí folamh agus na deontais atá ann ag cur cabhair do dhaoine chun na tithí folamh sin a cheannach. Freisin mar is eol duit, táimid ag déanamh iarrachtaí i dtreo na tithí atá le fáil ar gearrthéarma agus táimid ag súil leis na hathruithe sin go mbeidh daoine ag cur tithí le haghaidh daoine a chónaíonn ann, ní amháin cuairteoirí agus ní amháin le haghaidh turasóireachta. Le haghaidh competitiveness, you know, mar a dúirt mé, the three priorities are intertwined.
There's no single, there's no priority in those three priorities. So our competitiveness is very much connected to our values. And I made the point at our EPSCO summit informal last week that values is the engine that drives the European Union. It drives competitiveness and it drives security. And I can absolutely assure you that we will, I don't see competitiveness being weakened because we strengthen on values.
I don't see competitiveness being weakened because we focus on workers' rights. And I think that they're not mutually exclusive discussions and I've always very much believed that.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much. We then go to the second round of questions. So once again, if there are members who wish to take the floor at this point, please indicate this. I'm starting with Mrs. Bischoff from the S&D.
Gabriele Bischoff
Thank you very much, Minister, to present your program and it's good to see you again. I'm, I was very pleased to hear that the fair mobility package will be one of your priorities. Do you already have a bit of a timeframe also together with the trio presidency here? Because for us also strengthening the ELA will be key if we really want to strengthen fairness in the mobility that we have in Europe. The second question I have is the trilogue on traineeships stalled under the Cypriot presidency.
Do you have any plans to take this up and work actively towards a solution here? And last but not least, let me wish you a very successful presidency and it's a joy to listen to the Irish language here in this house.
Johan Danielsson
Thank you, Chair. Minister, for me and my political group, trade union rights, collective bargaining is key. Today we see multinational moving to Europe with union busting as one of their business strategy. Tesla, Amazon, there are a lot of companies. This is now also starting to affect other sectors.
Across Europe we see that large data centers are becoming some of our largest construction sites. At these sites you often see high reliance on long subcontracting chains, large number of posted workers. And I have tried to visit a number of these sites together with local unions and also with Irish unions in in Sweden, my own home country, here in Belgium. At all times we have been denied access. Even if unions according to national rules are supposed to have access to these workplaces.
We know that there are a large frequency of misuse of working condition at these sites. From your perspective, since they are the same companies showing up at all these sites across Europe, what can we do at European level to ensure effective union access, labor inspections and full transparency over subcontracts and posted workers at these projects? Because they are the same companies showing up throughout Europe. Thank you.
Hristo Petrov
Thank you, Chair. Dear Minister, thank you for outlining the priorities of the Irish presidency in a context where citizens have high social expectations. I'm pleased that you have made social inclusion, the new anti-poverty strategy and the child guarantee central to your priorities. Strengthening the child guarantee is particularly crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty for the next generation and ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities. I would therefore like to ask you what role the Irish presidency intends to play in the deliverables planned during your presidency, such as the consultation on an initiative to activate people excluded from the labor market or the guidelines for curriculum and pedagogical development in early childhood education and care.
And from Renew, Mr. Petrov.
And my second question concerns the Roma and traveler communities. Our countries face the shared challenge of ensuring their inclusion as they are still too often marginalized. We have the EU Roma strategic framework, but member states are still a long way from reaching the 2030 targets.
Does your Presidency foresee any actions regarding the implementation of the strategic framework, particularly with regard to access to employment and essential services? Thank you.
Marc Angel
Yes, thank you very much, Minister. It's very nice to hear that you are very ambitious to deepen the social dimension of the European Union and also the Union of Equality. These are very important to promote and protect democracy. When it comes to the fair mobility agenda, this Parliament had an initiative legislative report where we really called for legislation to protect workers against algorithmic management, transparency. We want the same protection as platform workers have for all workers.
So this is a very important issue for us and also psychosocial risks have to be included, linked to algorithmic management and AI. I was happy to hear that you are tackling, that you want to close or that you will work on the equal treatment directive, the horizontal anti-discrimination directive. This is very important. Before the European elections, the Belgians were very close and I hope that you really can close this dossier. It's important.
Now I don't have a question, but I have a message to you. Please convey to your colleagues, the ministers, that the Pay Transparency Directive is a very important directive.
Housing is not a European competency, but yet it is probably one of the issues that is going to define Europe in the years ahead as to whether or not we have a cohesive society, whether or not governments and local authorities and those charged with responsibilities across Europe for provision of housing.
Billy Kelleher
Housing is not a European competency, but yet it is probably one of the issues that is going to define Europe in the years ahead as to whether or not we have a cohesive society, whether or not governments and local authorities and those charged with responsibilities across Europe for provision of housing, either directly as public authorities or else in the provision of housing through the private market through, you know, granting of planning permissions, permits, etc. and investment in infrastructure to facilitate housing development. And I know that you're going to have a housing conference during your presidency, but I believe that we have to be very proactive to ensure that our citizens can live and find affordable accommodation, both in terms of rent and purchase. And this is not just exclusively an issue that's challenging some countries, it is across the entirety of the European Union where we have huge pressures on certain areas due to, you know, lots of tourists visiting certain cities, certain areas. And I believe that if we don't do something on this quickly, both at national levels but also at a European-wide level, well then that fraying of the solidarity across Europe will increase quite dramatically. And this does play into the politics of Europe as well.
And you can see that, you know, it is being used in the context of dear housing, blame migrants, pressures on health services, some political groupings blame migrants. And it is that particular issue that is really becoming quite toxic across Europe and is being fanned, and fanned in this house as well by political groupings. And I just hope that, you know, there's a really proactive effort on that. And I want to wish you well. And finally, the equal treatment directive.
I know that it is a long time stalled, but I would really urge your presidency to make every effort to try and move that forward again and to get some traction on the equal treatment directive. So, go raibh míle maith agat.
Dara Calleary
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus gabhaim buíochas go dtí an Teachta bishoff as a teanga. Táimid an-bhródúil den teanga mar d'ordú an Teachta fondúireachta agus táimid ag iarraidh go mbeadh níos mó daoine ag úsáid gach uile lá, ní amháin in Éirinn ach timpeall na hEorpa freisin.
In relation to the fair labor mobility package, we've emphasized its importance. It also addresses the point in relation that the Vice-Chair, Vice-Chair Danielsson, that the ELA, the evaluation report of the ELA does suggest strengthening its mandate to support implementation, to support the enforcement of fair working conditions. And you know, we will continue to work with the Employment Committee Chair on the fair labor mobility package. And we want to see it progress and progress very strongly. In relation, you know, certainly happy to work with the Vice-Chair.
Unions should have access to workplaces, but we will work with the Vice-Chair to do that. And you have two former union officials on this committee from Ireland that I'm sure will bring their experiences to it as well. To Mr. Patrov, you know, I've spoken about the importance of the child guarantee, that it is a member state competence, but we will work across member states. And we cannot have a union where children are in poverty, where one in four children is at risk of poverty. That does not speak to anything about the word union.
That does not speak to anything about the word citizenship, and it certainly does not speak to our priorities around values. And we have to make sure that we, through every lever possible, address that. It goes back to Deputy O'Riordain's point about child homelessness as well. If we can break the circle and break the cycle of poverty at child level, then we break the cycle of poverty.
And that includes employment opportunities for parents, includes housing, as Deputy Kelleher has said. And in relation to Roma and Traveller community inclusion, we will be, my colleague Minister Norma Foley, who is our Minister for Equality, will be prioritizing that as part of our work program. And as I said, we will be having a conference in Tralee in November, which will include initiatives in that area. But Minister Foley is going to make it a priority in terms of the equality side of the agenda. I got to thank you for your points, Mr. Angel.
And in relation to the Union of Equality, many of you have said Equal Treatment Directive, which, my apologies, I keep using the Irish deputy, which Deputy Kelleher has raised as well. They are crucial to us, and we want to progress those. It's part, very much part of our values, part of the presidency. Minister Foley is engaging and planning to engage directly around the Equal Treatment Directive with colleagues across the EU and to work to find a way forward in relation to that. Billy, yeah, I, there's nothing I disagree with you in relation to housing.
And I think unless we solve housing, we're not, we're going to undermine our union totally.
We're going to undermine all of the work that has gone into building this Union will be undermined because citizens will feel that we're not delivering on their core priority, which is a roof over their head. We're focusing very much on it at home. We want to learn and we want to share experiences. That is why there's going to be a high-level meeting in November of housing ministers. But there's nothing I disagree with you on, agus ní mór dúinn a bheith fíorchúramach leis an teacht an fonn i gcúrsaí an Ghaeltacht and the impact of short-term letting on Gaeltacht communities in particular, that people who want to use the Irish language, chun teanga agus chun clann a ordú sna háiteanna dúchais, ní mór dóibh an teach a fháil agus ceann de na cúiseanna nach bhfuil teach sna ceantair Ghaeltachta is go bhfuil daoine ag úsáid tithe le haghaidh cúrsaí Airbnb.
So it is a priority for our government. It should be a priority for the European Union because you are absolutely right, unless we give people a house, we undermine the very basis of our Union. And I spoke about the Equal Treatment Directive and the work our colleague Minister Foley is doing on that as well.
Li Andersson
Thank you so much. And I will give the floor once again to the Minister. We are at the end of the, of the debate for your closing remarks.
So please, Minister O'Gorman.
Dara Calleary
Bhuel, go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh, go dtí na Teachtaí agus baill den choiste as an bhfleasc seo, bhí sé suimiúil agus gabhaim buíochas libh as an obair agus go háirithe as ucht teacht le chéile anseo ag an gcruinniú deireadh roimh na saoire. Tá súil agam go mbeidh saoire iontach agaibh ach tar éis na saoire tá lán obair le déanamh agus tá mé ag súil leis an obair agus comhoibriú libh. I very much respect the role of all committees of the Parliament. You are the only people with a direct mandate. And that sometimes gets forgotten, direct mandates of all of us sometimes gets forgotten by those who don't have a mandate, by those who have a permanent job.
A direct mandate gives us responsibility, it gives us opportunity, not just at national parliament level but at European Parliament level as well.
And it will be a priority of mine during my term as chair of the council to respect and to work as closely with you as possible. And that's why we went out to Strasbourg in November and had the privilege of meeting many of you last November and then again in Dublin and here today. So tá súil agam go mbeidh muid ag obair le chéile. Ní bheidh muid in ann aontú ar gach rud. We won't be able to agree on everything.
Ach tá sé tábhachtach dom go mbeidh muid ag obair le chéile chomh láidir agus is féidir chun muintir na hEorpa. Agus mar a dúirt mé, tá an luachanna príomhthosaíocht don uachtaránacht. One of our three priorities is values. I see the values piece as the engine of our presidency. Thank you, chair.
Li Andersson
Thank you very much, minister, for being here, also to the members for active engagement. And we are really looking forward to a fruitful cooperation. So we wish you all the best with the presidency. And I think values is also very much at the core of the work that we do here in this committee. So it's always nice to hear that being emphasized also on the side of the presidency.
So thank you very much. Thank you also to the members and have a very nice, relaxing summer for everyone except the coordinators, because the coordinators are still to stay here for the meeting that starts now at half past. So thank you very much.
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