Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel;
Credit: Geoff Thompson/Chronicle.lu
During this week's official delegation trip to Ireland, during which Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel met with the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the Tanaiste, Michael Martin, the former put aside some time from his hectic schedule to talk with Chronicle.lu.
During this short interview, just a few topics were covered.
Chronicle.lu: Since the time you spent in Dublin studying English, how has the city/country changed?
Prime Minister Bettel: I have to be very frank, but it is 35 years ago, so I cannot remember that much - I was fifteen or sixteen years old. But I can just can see today Ireland is politically a trustful partner and that time ago it was the place where I was able to learn English. I spent a great time here and I'm happy that the Luxembourgish economy and the Irish economy can progress on common goals and I hope that this will be the result of the meetings that we have for the moment.
Chronicle.lu: Apart from the financial sector, Luxembourg and Ireland are facing some similar challenges at the moment, including housing, both for young people getting on the property ladder and people finding rental properties, as well as to house refugees: how can the two countries learn from each other in this context?
Prime Minister Bettel: I have a meeting with the Taoiseach just afterwards, so this will be one of the topics. I want to listen to him and to exchange... I still believe there are things we can do; there are things we cannot change, for example interest rates is not in our competences, so it is important to know what they plan to do. I can just tell you that in Luxembourg, it is sure one part of the competence of the government but also with the municipalities, and so we have to work together and this is what will be done in the next days, to be presented also from the government some initiatives to see how we can try to find short-term solutions, mid-term solutions and also also being able to prepare the future.
Note: in the press conference following his meeting with An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister Bettel stated that both countries have growing economies and more people arriving in both countries, referencing the support of local authorities that is needed to implement housing projects. An Taoiseach acknowledged an accommodation challenge and housing shortage in both countries, with Ireland planning to supply new homes soon.
Chronicle.lu: Regarding Brexit, primarily concerning logistics, transport and maritime, what can Luxembourg take from this trip?
Prime Minister Bettel: I think we have a lot of opportunities to be able to see how we can deepen the relation gap - [there are] a lot of people here from the maritime sector - there is a maritime cluster in Luxembourg too - and it is here to see what fruitful work that can be [done] in the next years. When we speak about energy, even we know that we have companies active in dragage [dredging] also for the maritime pavilion [there will be] some opportunities, so to see how we can have a win-win situation, also for the future. We see that there wouldn't be as many Luxembourgish companies present here if there wouldn't be opportunities.
Chronicle.lu: What are your thoughts on Sunday's local election results?
Prime Minister Bettel: Ah! I do not take a judgement as a Prime Minister, but as a member of the liberal party and I can tell you that for me I cannot complain. I think we have a national trend which is good, as it was on Sunday. We are Tuesday [13 June 2023] today, I can read new members, new majorities with the liberal party on the board and so this makes [...] a happy member of a liberal party. The results are good in the city, but also in the four regions of the country. A positive trend is always better than a negative trend, particularly four months before the elections.
