Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táim buíoch as an deis labhairt ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo um thráthnóna.

I understand why the focus might fall on the personalities and the contest as to who might get what top job for the next session of the European Parliament and Commission, but what matters more than that is the nature of the reflection and whether or not there is a real understanding of the need for fundamental root and branch change at a European level. Watching the runners and riders for each of the respective positions, I believe quite frankly that the citizens of the European Union can expect more of the same.

Despite the Taoiseach's assertion to the contrary in his paper where he talks about the ambition and the prospect of reaching climate neutrality by 2050, I believe the Taoiseach is over egging things there. It is not a realistic prospect and, in any event, I do not believe the Taoiseach or his Government are on the right track from a policy perspective to achieve climate justice by 2050, or on any other timeframe.

With regard to the European Union impulse on international policy and defence and the impulse around the ongoing trumping of the social economy and social Europe by brute market forces, I do not see any indication that any of this has changed fundamentally at a European Union level or in Ireland. Let us remember that the shape, nature and dynamic of the European project will largely be shaped by the dynamic of domestic politics. Despite the Taoiseach's assertion to the contrary I have no sense that there has been a strategic review of Ireland within the European project, despite Brexit, despite an avowed concern about the rise of the right and reactionary forces right across the Continent, and despite the fact that the lessons of disenfranchisement and the lessons of being left behind are writ large in the Brexit experience across the water. This is a dynamic that threatens in the most profound way the well-being economically, socially and politically of all of us who live on this island. Despite all of that the Government carries on and wilfully disregards all of the lessons that really ought to be learned. Brexit is a disaster. There is no good Brexit. I say this as someone who remains deeply critical of the direction of the European project. I believe it needs to change but Brexit was never the answer. Brexit is not the answer but it serves to provide lessons for us. I have no sense across the political establishment in the State that any of those lessons have been learned. I do not believe there is any appetite to learn those lessons. This is incredibly dangerous.

We now have a host of Tory leadership contenders who beat their chests and try to out-Brexiteer each other. At this stage each of them seems to have disregarded the withdrawal agreement and the backstop. All of them need to understand very clearly that the withdrawal agreement is the bottom line, that the Irish protocol is the bottom line and that they are even more delusional than we had first imagined if they think there will be a shift from that position. It is very important that our partners in the European Union also understand that very blunt and simple reality. I hope the Taoiseach will, as he has committed to doing, carry that very clear message to the European Union. The Government must now stand firm and the European Union must remain true to its word that without an agreed and legally enforceable Backstop there will be no agreement. This is the simple, blunt message in the here and now which the Taoiseach must bring with him to Brussels.

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