Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Two of the issues that faced the European Council in recent days must go down as seismic events in recent European history. I refer to Covid and Brexit. It is not unfair to say that the Union was already challenged with defending the impacts of Brexit before the body blow of Covid arrived. The Covid story is probably taking centre stage now, given the upheaval it has created both economically and socially for the bloc of 27 member states. All countries are in the pendulum swing of lockdown and feeling the economic and social effects.

That said, European integration has also proven itself by the joint collaborations on the development of vaccines which are under consideration by the European Medicines Agency. On approval, significant mobilisation of resources will be required to inoculate and protect the European population. Ireland will also have to engage in similar activity in lockstep to ensure that we defend against the virus until a level of herd immunity has been achieved and we can continue to remain that way. This will require vigilance and compliance, which will only prove possible if vaccine take-up is successful and European financial supports are of the significant order that is required. It appears that the Council is prepared to make significant versatile funding provisions and also to achieve agreement in order to implement a multi-annual budgetary and recovery fund, the outline of which was drawn up in July.

On the agenda also was an ambitious objective to achieve climate neutrality for the European Union by 2050. As part of this commitment there is an ambitious proposal to a reduction of at least 55% in carbon emissions by 2030. It gives credibility to Europe's leadership on climate as the Union marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris accord. As well as creating benchmarks for how the EU seeks to initiate climate reductions, this ambition will have a significant effect on Irish emissions and must surely herald the need for a whole-of-government approach to climate action and change.

We have heard much about the possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through taxation policy, innovations in housing retrofits, electrification in motorised transport and renewable energy developments, as well as moves away from fossil fuels in energy production. Although laudable, many would suggest that some of our climate ambition is not achievable in the timeframe committed to, without significant and radical social change. Our target for the penetration of electric cars, for instance, within the car fleet to 2030, has been shown to be overly optimistic considering the availability and cost of electric vehicles, allied with the infrastructural capital developments required to provide a feasible network of charging points around the country.

The move away from utilising turf in our electricity generation heralds a new lease of life for the Irish bog, but we must implement a just transition to ensure viable new work streams for those who must cease employment in that industry.

Brexit is a particular concern for Ireland, but it gets little mention in the post-European summit press briefings, and I presume this is because the work is ongoing. I hope the worsening unemployment figures announced in recent days in the UK as a result of Covid-19 will focus the attention of all parties in the UK to committing to a deal to minimise further economic harm to the UK bloc, and in that regard this Parliament resolutely supports such an outcome.

The relationship between Europe and the United States also appears to be a discussion point, and I hope Ireland can be a strong beneficiary of future White House policies in trade and immigration as well as in developing further our strong US trade links. President-elect Biden may have come along just at the right time to help provide a backstop to the Northern Irish protocol to Brexit and, I hope, to Covid-19 as we await vaccine deployment.

The news on a European banking union also appears to be positive, as it has been credited to contributing to financial stability and helping to maintain finance to economies seeing the impact of Covid-19. Financial instruments were also on the agenda with the banking union, and the question of progress in capital markets was under discussion. All this dialogue is a result both of our membership of the European Council and our dependence on EU funding to provide a lifeline to our economy given the significant deficit we are currently running. It is important we continue to be proactive Europeans and positively engaged with the European project, particularly given that the UK is gone in another direction.

A Minister in this House years ago suggested that Ireland is closer to Boston than Berlin, but that statement, if made today, would require some scrutiny. There is no doubt Ireland's future is now inextricably bound with Europe like never before, and our future economic prosperity will largely rest not only on our place in Europe but also how we adapt to the constraints of European federalist thinking.

This year, 2020, has indicated how vulnerable our country is to political, economic and social upheaval not of our making. That is now a fact and wishing otherwise will not make it so. Our only course of defensive action for the future as a small European player is to become the best pound-for-pound performer in the European Union. We must continue to invest, innovate and educate, and to execute microeconomic and social policies that continue to ensure Ireland remains a force to be reckoned with. Although small in stature, our representation within Europe must continue to exert influence over future EU thinking.

Issues similar to Covid-19 and Brexit will appear and disappear across the European horizon over the coming years. Our island's mission must be to ensure that when decisions are being taken, we have a place at the top table. To that end I commend the ongoing work of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and all other actors and State agents who continue to contribute positively to Ireland's future standing on the European stage.

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