Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin believes in and supports the European Union and the prospect of peace, prosperity and unity for all its people. That is at the core of what Europe is about. All of those things come with challenges. When we think of prosperity, which is the promise of Europe, it has been delivered for many people on this island and in other parts of Europe but we cannot ignore that we have also had difficult times. I think of the impact of the Stability and Growth Pact and the rules and regulations that have bound nation states in being able to develop their economies, not only during the recent period of austerity but long before that as well. Thankfully, Europe seems to have moved away from austerity. During this economic crisis, it seems to be recognised that Europe needs to invest in people and ensure that investment is delivered to people everywhere. We need to see that happen across the entire European Union, particularly in Ireland. The Government has a crucial role in making that happen.

We recognise that Europe has been good to people in many ways. The progress we see in certain areas must continue. We have concerns, however, about the continued and increasing militarisation of the EU. It is important that we maintain the freedom to develop our own independent foreign policy. It is also important that there is space for militarily non-aligned and neutral states to be at the heart of the European Union. That is part of what we are about and we also need to recognise that. We need to move away from the sense that Europe will have some kind of militarised force to protect our borders. I see all these people coming from Ukraine and being welcomed. The European Union has done great work in bringing people from Ukraine to all parts of Europe, including Ireland, yet the EU is housing thousands of migrants on islands off the coast of Greece. The difference we see in the treatment of two groups of people fleeing war is something on which Europe needs to reflect on the 50th anniversary of Ireland joining into the European Union.

We deplore and condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and stand in solidarity with all the people of Ukraine. The EU, including Ireland, should be doing more to help countries in eastern Europe, particularly Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe that is shouldering the majority of the effort in dealing with refugees from that conflict. Thousands of Irish people have been donating and bringing all kinds of goods to parts of eastern Europe to help people who are fleeing from war. That sense of generosity is at the heart of the Irish people's and the European Union's response and it is what Europe is about. We need to ensure the Europe we develop reflects that generosity and the sense of people coming together for the greater good. It cannot be just for the good of the great. That has been the problem many people have seen with Europe in the past. That needs to be reflected on as we move forward, particularly in this crisis arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in other crises coming at us hard and fast, particularly the climate crisis. We need to invest in climate change efforts. If we are to address these issues, we must have resources to do so. Ireland or any other country in Europe alone will not have those resources. They must come through the common work of all of the countries of Europe in coming together and recognising that, for the global future, we invest to build the energy resources we need, which will not damage our climate, planet and future generations. The European Union has a central role to play in all of that and it needs to take that role very seriously.

I welcome the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe and the work that was done. We recognise that the future of Europe belongs to all of us and is not only for the elites. The problem in the past has been that we have not been able to an understanding that it is about all of the people and all of them have a role to play in ensuring the European Union delivers for communities in every part of the world, particularly every part of Ireland. In the part of the country I come from and elsewhere in the west, we do not have the kind of investment we require. Europe has to play a role in all of that.

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