Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

For so long, the international community has facilitated the breach of international law, collective punishment and the confiscation of land. The EU has stood aside and watched as all of that happened in Palestine and under Netanyahu. The idea that fundamental geopolitical stances can be taken in Europe without any participation or accountability points, I am afraid to say, to something very rotten at the core of the European Union. The actions of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, were contrary to the core principles of the European Union, namely, contributing to peace and security, the protection of human rights, and strict observance to international law. Their actions will have done untold damage to the European Union, to our credibility and the potential for the EU to play a role in achieving peace.

I agree with President Higgins's comments and welcome his intervention, if I am allowed to say that here in this House. He said the response of von der Leyen was thoughtless and even reckless. I welcome his intervention. I am reminded of the lyrics of the anti-war song by Peggy Seeger, "How I Long for Peace":

The world can wait no longer

For political permission

Sit down, disrupt, do anything

To make the whole world listen

[...]

O how I long for peace.

The actions of President Metsola and President von der Leyen remind us of why Ireland should always try to ensure that unanimity is retained in Europe on foreign policy and security and defence policy and of the importance of the sovereignty that enables us to pursue our independent foreign policy.