Taoiseach to set out EU presidency priorities

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will address a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg this morning, outlining the priorities of the Irish EU presidency.

Mr Martin will set out the government's priorities for the presidency, which is now into its first full week.

He is likely to focus on the three themes of the presidency - competitiveness, security and values.

Mr Martin will meet the president of the Parliament Roberta Metsola ahead of his speech, which will then be debated by the political groups in the parliament.

Meanwhile, MEPs will debate a European Commission progress report on Ukraine’s accession process. Two amendments have been tabled calling for a ban on the sale of alumina to Russia.

This will be an opportunity for MEPs to express their views on the ongoing controversy over alumina shipments to Russia from the Aughinish refinery in Co Limerick.

The vote will take place tomorrow. All four Fine Gael MEPs are expected to vote in favour of the non-binding motion while Fianna Fail MEPs will hold a meeting on the issue this morning.

Barred

All eyes will also be on French MEP Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally.

At lunchtime a Paris court will rule on an appeal by party leader Marine Le Pen against her conviction over the misuse of European Parliament funds.

Should she lose, it’s likely she will be barred from running for president next year, leaving the path open for the 31-year-old Bardella to take her place.