Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is a strong sense of disbelief that, as we discuss very important and vital European issues, we do so in the context of another terrorist atrocity striking at the heart of Europe. This morning's events in Brussels seem to be, yet again, the cold-blooded murder of innocent people. The clear objective behind the attacks is to destroy that which we cherish most, namely, our freedom. Families across Europe are worrying and praying for children and relatives. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Government will do everything it can to assist the people of Belgium and Irish citizens living there who may be affected in the hours and days to come.

The Schuman Declaration states:

Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.

We will not allow terrorism to destroy that solidarity. In the recent election campaign, the Labour Party made it very clear that we are, and will continue to be, very committed to the development of a social Europe of full employment, investment, social progress, social provision and equality for men and women. We believe Ireland will be strong and our interests best served when there is a strong Union.

The economic crisis, Europe's handling of it and the impact on citizens has severely tested the solidarity between EU member states. It has meant a retreat into an intergovernmental mind set, despite an increase in the EU's powerful transnational institutions. This has undermined the vision for the EU to become a leading political and economic powerhouse in the world.

It is, therefore, essential for the EU to enter a new phase of rebuilding its institutions, its infrastructure and its place in the life of all the citizens of Europe. Of course, the possibility of a British exit from the EU poses its own risks to this crucial mission. It is undoubtedly in the interests of Ireland and the EU as a whole for the UK to remain in the Union. This is a vital issue for the whole of the island of Ireland. We are commemorating 1916 this week. It is remarkable that 100 years later, through the development of the EU and its institutions, we now sit with the British as equals at the European table.

We believe the agreement that was reached at the February Council meets the political requirements of the UK Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, and is acceptable to all EU partners. I would like to refer briefly to an area of the agreement that falls under the remit of the Department of Social Protection. In the 2011 programme for Government, we committed to "raise the issue of payment of Child Benefit in respect of non-resident children at EU level". We did so because the bill in respect of non-resident children had increased significantly to a peak of €20.9 million in 2008. I raised the issue personally and in great detail with the Commissioner. The Union chose not to engage with the issue at that time despite strong efforts on the part of the Government, so we took another approach, namely, to ensure child benefit was paid only to families who legitimately had an entitlement to it. Rigorous checks were introduced and made under the Department's control and fraud prevention programmes. Customers of the Department whose children are resident abroad are now required to confirm their continued entitlement to the benefit every six months. This must include a statement from the person's employer confirming that he or she is employed in Ireland. As a result of this approach, the cost of paying child benefit in respect of non-resident children decreased by 39% to €12.7 million last year. This is an important saving for the State. I make no apologies for ensuring the payment goes only to those legitimately entitled to it. I have always championed our social welfare system as a safety net for those who need it most. That safety net is more important than ever in the current economic climate. However, it is precisely because the State's limited resources should go to those most in need that we must prevent any abuse of the system. As a result of the February Council meeting, the concept of indexation is now on the table. This would mean linking the rate of payment to the country in which the child resides. In my view, it is a much fairer system for every member state. The question of whether Ireland will seek to avail of this mechanism as it develops will be a matter for the next Government - taking account of financial and administrative factors - to decide upon.

I would like to turn to the issue of migration, which has been the focus of all the recent meetings. It is an unspeakable tragedy that men, women and children are dying daily in the Mediterranean. Sadly, the migration crisis has underscored the Union's inability to move at the required speed, which is one of its great weaknesses. The EU has engaged in some serious efforts to develop a comprehensive response but the implementation of key elements of that response has been tortuously slow. That is why the Government has placed a strong emphasis on the need to step up the implementation of agreed measures. At the recent Council meeting, agreement was secured with Turkey on a series of action points to end irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and to seek to reduce the power and, indeed, the profits of the people smugglers. This controversial agreement, which has attracted some criticism, seeks to save lives by tackling the people smugglers and deterring migrants from attempting the treacherous journey to Greece. They are the objectives that Europe is seeking to address. Time will tell how possible it will be to achieve much of what the agreement seeks. This agreement alone will not solve the crisis. If, however, it is properly and fairly implemented, it can be an important part of the EU's overall response. Ireland will play its part in all of this. We have consistently emphasised the importance of responding to the root causes of the migration crisis, as well as the humanitarian challenges posed by it.

Making peace in Syria has to be the primary objective of EU policy. Millions of people have been displaced and forced into exile. The vast majority of those who have had to flee for their lives want to see Syria at peace so they can return home to seek to rebuild their lives. That should be the central part of Irish and EU policy in this regard. Last September, we committed to admitting 4,000 people under the various resettlement and relocation programmes. When I spoke about that figure previously, I said I would like the focus with regard to resettlement in this country to be on families with children. Furthermore, when people resettle here, I would like there to be a focus on language skills, particularly those relating to English, and on helping people to obtain employment. We have provided significant humanitarian assistance to Syria. We had given €42 million by the end of 2015 and we will further increase our level of humanitarian assistance this year. We are very proud of our Naval Service, which has saved the lives of more than 8,500 people, and we will participate in further humanitarian efforts to save people in the Mediterranean. This may well be a matter for the next Government. It is essential for the EU to continue to strengthen its response to this appalling humanitarian crisis. The pace of that response should be stepped up.

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