Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is worth noting that the President of the European Commission is a woman, the first woman to be appointed to this position, Dr. Ursula von der Leyen. Also, 12 of the 27 Commissioners are women. That must be a good thing. It must be good for the European Union and, indeed, for the future of Europe, and it is worth pointing that out.

On one of the objectives of Ireland in the context of the EU, I would suggest, as I am sure the Tánaiste will agree, that Ireland should be also at the forefront of defending European values and ideals. Europe is facing threats, both inside and outside the Union, and it is essential that these issues are faced head on. The assault on democracy, the rule of law and academic and judicial freedoms in EU states such as Poland and Hungary must be confronted, and my party certainly supports linking EU funding to ensuring that these principles are adhered to. As I say, the future of Europe is under threat from illiberal regimes, and that is something that all of us must be conscious of and deal with appropriately.

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