Dáil debates

Wednesday, 26 January 2022

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements

 

3:22 pm

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Covid defence and supports that the Taoiseach mentioned earlier, which were approved by the EU, have clearly shown to Ireland the benefits of EU membership. Membership has granted us access to vaccines as soon as the technology was developed. Indeed, our membership also allowed us access to EU purchasing power which we could not have achieved on our own. It has also provided us with boosters for younger age groups, along with the latest in antiviral medicine, which allows us to continue to combat this serious disease. Indeed, access to vaccines and boosters is the primary reason we, in Ireland, are now emerging from the worst ravages of Covid and the Omicron wave.

The Taoiseach outlined how the EU is now the largest donor of vaccines to the developing world and acknowledged that 1.7 billion doses had already been delivered to developing nations. Indeed, he said that the manufacturing was at such scale that potentially global distribution and roll-out can now be achieved. He stated that we have to work with our EU partners in terms of distributing Covid vaccines. This also highlights the potential for the emergence of a variant of concern while the developed world remains unvaccinated. It also calls into question the present policy of Ireland and the Government to not support the TRIPS waiver that would allow for mRNA vaccine technology manufacture to be implemented under licence in the developing world, ensuring a faster roll-out of vaccines. Has the Government taken any time to reconsider its position on TRIPS?

The Taoiseach also spoke about energy and the rising energy prices, particularly in oil and gas, that are of concern across the EU. He mentioned the Cabinet approval of €210 million to provide a rebate to all households to offset rising energy costs. Unfortunately, it is a fact that energy costs are here to stay for some time. I would imagine that there will not be another rebate for a very long time. What is the future of our overseas gas supply, given the European dependence on Russian gas? We have made much of Ireland's potential to generate electricity from offshore wind, but in truth, we are more than a decade away from seeing this implemented to any great scale. Therefore, we have to depend on the supply coming through the UK and from our EU partners.

The developing situation in Ukraine must give us all pause for thought. The Russian amassing of troops and tanks close to the Ukrainian border is a deeply symbolic act of potential aggression against its neighbour. Indeed, the proposed Russian navy live fire exercises to be conducted in Ireland's marine economic zone is also an unwelcome act of sabre-rattling to the EU. The issue of Ukrainian sovereignty and its potential right to join or align with NATO appears to be the main concern of President Putin and his Kremlin officials. What is the official Irish policy? I ask the Minister of State to enunciate it and how it relates to our European partners. Does this latest international emergency not yet again question Ireland's ability to defend itself, and for our Defence Forces to monitor our land and sea areas effectively, as well as to patrol our skies? We may be neutral, but does this mean that our Defence Forces must remain neutered due to years of underfunding? When will this situation be resolved?

In terms of financial recovery post Covid, the Taoiseach mentioned the concerns in the EU regarding rising inflation and the headwind it represents to future Union economic growth. It appears Ireland is to support further and deeper banking union and mandates. It must be said that at present, the choice available to domestic customers in Ireland is at an all-time low.

It is not uncommon at present for small builders in this country to access finance from larger builders at an annual percentage rate of up to 10% simply because they cannot borrow from the remaining pillar banks which have zero appetite for any risk and are only willing to support small home builders when they have a contract in place with a local authority for the sale of the houses. For all its strategy, I suggest the Government must find a way to address the issue of builder finance.

We signed our accession treaty in 1973. It has to be said that Ireland has come a long way in terms of economic growth, improved standards of living and greater diversity in our population as a result of our membership of the EU. It also has to be said that we have benefited from EU law and EU standards. We hope this will continue to be the case. We will continue to be a strong advocate of EU cohesion and EU policy. It appears that at present the financial landscape is favourable or proving favourable but we must take every step in future to ensure any uplift in the tide lifts prosperity for all boats in our society.

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