Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

As the Tánaiste prepares for his next European outing, it would be remiss not to mention his participation in the utterly ludicrous and outrageous presentation of the Nobel peace prize to the European Union. This participation represented a shocking failure on the part of the Government, a missed opportunity to boycott the event and take a stance against the galling hypocrisy that saw a militarised European Union, which has participants in Iraq and Afghanistan and which numbers among its ranks some of the largest arms manufacturers in the world, granted such recognition. It is a sick joke.

The Taoiseach's presentation included only a few lines on the important foreign policy issues that will be addressed at the Council meeting. It is very important that the Government departs from its complicity in the lack of action we are seeing in some of these areas. In particular, the Israeli offensive against Gaza and the continuing extension of settlements on the West Bank are an outrage. Simply stating one's opposition to such activity is not good enough, particularly when the European Union does the opposite of what it says by maintaining its position as Israel's largest trading partner. It is a case of conflicting signals, with the Union giving Israel a little tap on the shoulder, while at the same time embracing it with open arms. The Israelis responded to the United Nations decision to afford Palestine enhanced observer status with a two finger gesture in the form of its extension of the settlement programme. In the face of such determination one can talk about it or one can do something about it. As Ireland prepares for the Presidency of the European Union, the time is right to take action. Words are no longer enough. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and others have called for a ban on goods from the settlements. At the very least, the implementation of EU regulations on consumer branding and so on should proceed without delay. Unfortunately, I do not have enormous confidence that the Government will steer action in this regard, particularly in the light of the Tánaiste's antics in the European Parliament yesterday.

Deputy Seán Crowe referred to the conclusion of the free trade agreement with Colombia and Peru. This, more than anything, is an indictment of the Government and its actions in Europe. There has been a great deal of comment in the media recently on the betrayal of its voters by the Labour Party in respect of the domestic policies it has pursued in government. The party should have no less cause for shame when it considers that every single trade union federation, non-governmental organisation and human rights body lobbied against ratification of an agreement with Colombia in the light of that country's systematic abuse of human and workers' rights. On the other hand, the lobbying by business interests seems to have been much more successful, those interests having been supported and vindicated by the agreement. It is an absolute disgrace and the Tánaiste, in particular, given his record in opposition, should be ashamed.

We should not be surprised that such agreements are countenanced because that is the mark of the European Union in both its foreign and domestic policies. Other Deputies referred to the worsening economic crisis and growing instability across member states. That is a consequence of the continuation of austerity which has had a calamitous impact on people throughout Europe. Unless those policies are addressed and until there is an end to the foisting of private debt onto the shoulders of the public, we will not have a better Europe but rather a recipe for ongoing instability and crisis.

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