Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 September 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

Engagement with MEPs elected from Constituencies in Ireland

Photo of Gerard CraughwellGerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the MEPs, who fought a sterling campaign. I am delighted for them and think that we have a solid team representing Ireland. The first thing that I want to talk about is Brexit, as everybody here seems to talk about. Eleven countries, between Finland and Greece, have borders. What would make Ireland different in the event of a soft or a hard Brexit? I have been saying since 2016, and it is beginning to catch on, that we would have no choice but to manage a border. The level of management will be a function of the way in which Britain leaves the EU. As I am sure the MEPs would agree, there cannot be an open border with a third country.

The European community has failed to deal with the issue of migration, forcing economic migrants to declare themselves as refugees. We have no policy with respect to economic migration and Ireland, above all countries, should be leading on this. We have been economic migrants for as far back in our history as we can remember. Forcing people to declare themselves as refugees so that they can get residency in Europe is causing significant problems across Europe, especially in eastern Europe and lately in Ireland.

The final matter relates to defence. There is an ongoing discussion in this country about a European army. One cannot have an army without an intelligence unit that is independent of all countries. Can any of the MEPs see a situation where the European Parliament and the 27 members ratify the setting up of an intelligence agency for Europe independent of all countries? I cannot see it happening in any way and I think there is an obligation on those who have been elected to the European Parliament to dispel myth. I can certainly see a need for a defence or security agreement. We need greater co-operation between our police forces with respect to people trafficking, drug trafficking etc., but the notion of a European army is miles away from that. There is an onus on those in the European Parliament to spell out whether we are heading in that direction or that this is a nonsense and that we are trying to have a security policy rather than a defence policy.

I thank the MEPs for their time. It is always good to see them. I congratulate them. Can I have Ms O'Sullivan's soft armchair back now that she is gone?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.