Taoiseach to express solidarity with victims of Berlin Pride attack during meeting with chancellor

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will today express Ireland's solidarity with the victims of the attack during Berlin’s Pride festival when he meets German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will today express Ireland's solidarity with the victims of the attack during Berlin’s Pride festival when he meets German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.

The meeting in Dublin comes during Ireland’s six-month presidency of the EU Council with items including the EU’s next long-term budget, competitiveness, and enlargement set to be discussed.

Speaking ahead of the meeting Mr Martin said he looked forward to welcoming Mr Merz and would “express the solidarity of the Irish people with the victims of the horrific attack on the Pride parade in Berlin at the weekend”.

“The European Union is a community of values, chief among them respect for human dignity and equality and the rights of minorities.

“What happened in Berlin goes against everything that we stand for and we must never accept, normalise or tolerate it,” he said.

A van ramming and stabbing near Berlin’s Pride festival left one person dead and 29 injured.

A man suspected of carrying out the attack, Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, was killed following a manhunt that lasted nearly 24 hours after the attack in central Berlin.

Ahead of the meeting with Mr Merz, Mr Martin said the EU has a “full and busy agenda ahead of it in the coming months”, adding that he looked forward to discussing some of the biggest challenges with the chancellor.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Picture: AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

“We need negotiations on the European Union’s next long-term budget to reach agreement as soon as possible.

“I will be listening carefully to the chancellor’s position and discussing with him how we can reach the necessary compromises.

“We will also discuss strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, including the work the Irish Presidency is doing to simplify rules, deepen the single market, widen trading links, address energy costs and make sure we are ready for the climate and digital transitions.

“Enlargement is a priority issue for the Irish Presidency, and I will discuss with the chancellor how we can make further progress in the period ahead,” he said.