Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the clarification by the Acting Chair and I welcome the opportunity to speak on the issue of foreign affairs. I wish to acknowledge and thank the Ceann Comhairle for organising a minute's silence in support of all those affected by racism. There will be a debate in the House on racism next week. We must all take a stand against racism in Ireland and abroad. The issue has been highlighted by the murder of George Floyd by US police. The rule of law and order applies to everybody. All those who participated in or were accomplices to this heinous act must be brought to justice. Nothing less will do. There have been many protests against racism. These are important and to be welcomed and should be allowed to take place. Black lives matter. The vast majority of the protests have been peaceful and respectful and should not be met with brutality.

On another matter relating to the Tánaiste's Department, I am sure he is fully aware of the serious consequences of Covid-19 in Ireland and abroad, particularly in the European Union. To date, it has impacted hardest on Europe. Nine of the ten countries with the highest death rates per capitaare in Europe. Understandably, each country rightly looked after its own people first. It is clear that the European Union did not act in unison in the largest crisis to have faced Europe in recent generations. I reiterate that it is only right that governments looked after their own people first. It is obvious that although we were all in this together in Ireland, that was not the case at EU level. One of the big lessons to be learned for the Tánaiste's Department is the importance of ensuring that European institutions and countries work more closely together in the interests of all EU citizens in any similar crisis in the future. That did not happen on this occasion.

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