Tánaiste Simon Harris will meet the French finance minister in Paris today on day two of his St Patrick’s Day programme in France.
The Tánaiste will meet with the Minister for the Economy, Finance, Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure at the French finance ministry this afternoon.
They will discuss Ireland’s upcoming presidency of the EU, negotiations on the future CAP, EU competitiveness and productivity.
Also on the agenda is the Celtic Interconnector that is due to open in 2028 and potential future links on energy.
Speaking in advance of the meetings, the Tánaiste said: “Our Presidency will prioritise values, security and competitiveness. These pillars go to the heart of what we want to achieve every day in Europe and they are deeply intrinsically interlinked.
“We will look to France as a primary partner in driving our European agenda focussed on these themes,” the Tánaiste added.
“Two-way trade between Ireland and France has increased substantially over the past decade, reaching record values of over €45 billion in goods and services in both 2023 and 2024.”
“Competitiveness is what ensures that the European economy thrives, and that its citizens prosper. It is what delivers good jobs, good salaries and a good quality of life,” Mr Harris added.
