Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When one looks back on the decision by the Irish people 50 years ago in 1972 to join the then European Economic Community one must accept it was a big, brave and forward-looking decision by a country that was still in its infancy and that still had much to do to maximise the opportunity and the benefits of its independence. Only 50 years before that, the country had come through the War of Independence and the Civil War. It was still very much inward looking, yet it had this ambition, the ambition of people such as Seán Lemass, Jack Lynch, Dr. Patrick Hillery and others, to be part of the international family and to maximise its role in and input into that international family.

It took our membership of the EEC, later the EU, really to enshrine the principles of what it meant to be a republic within our daily lives. To look at and reflect on the economic progress is easy to do and a relatively lazy argument to make. The harder thing to do is to look at the other progress. There is the progress of our education system and the various funding opportunities in education and particularly the ability to grow the regional technical college, RTC, system. There is the equality agenda, how that has changed inconceivably since 1973 and what had to be done. One thinks of things such as the marriage bar, which sounds so arcane now and had such an impact on so many people. That was one of the parts of our accession. Then there were all the subsequent changes. We can look back at that decision 50 years ago and be proud of those who took the decision and of those who voted "Yes" and took that leap into the place of ambition and looking forward. Fifty years later, they cannot but be happy with their decision and with what has been achieved.

However, we cannot rest on our laurels either. Europe Day 2022 comes at a time of enormous challenge. The foundations on which the EU as it is now was established were to build peace and economic development. Those foundations are under threat once again, but never in the simultaneous way they are at present. The war on the Continent of Europe as a result of one country that seeks membership of the Union being attacked by an outside aggressor, is leading to the enormous economic challenges that will be faced over the next weeks, months and years as a consequence. That citizens of Europe and citizens who seek the protection of the European Union in terms of membership are being attacked in their home states makes this a time for reflection.

The rather grand ambitions of the Conference on the Future of Europe are important but they have been slightly sidelined. They need to take on board this situation.

The Minister of State was in the Chamber in February when I was critical of the response of the EU prior to the invasion of Ukraine. I have to say that, since then, I have been impressed by its focus and unity, and its determination to maintain that unity in spite of the enormous pressures it faces. It is vital we maintain this unity during this phase, which will be far trickier in terms of the impact of sanctions and the decisions that have to be taken. Last week showed the Union can do this. It can take difficult decisions that will impact on its member states and maintain its unity. This unity is crucial not only for the people of Ukraine and the Union but also for many other issues. Once this challenge passes, and it will pass, there will be other challenges.

The situation with climate change keeps getting relegated as the priority of the day. We had Covid and climate change was relegated. We have Ukraine and climate change has been relegated. At some stage we will not be able to relegate it. At some stage the European Union will have to treat climate change in the same way it is treating the situation in Ukraine and how it treated the pandemic. It will have to treat it with an all-encompassing and, as they say in basketball, an all-court response. It will have to take the type of decisions on climate change that it is taking now in the context of a war on every citizen of the Union and beyond. Younger generations who did not have a vote 50 years ago and who were not born 50 years ago expect nothing less. They have an ambition, particularly those who are much younger, for climate change that is far greater than that expressed by the institutions of the European Union at present. This in part is a tribute to the successful educational record of the Union, the Erasmus programme and the opportunities the EU has given generation after generation in Ireland to open their imaginations and their minds and see the opportunities. I commend the Government on continuing to fund the Erasmus programme for people in Northern Ireland. It is an enormous opportunity. This needs to be expanded and continued to ensure the dream of membership continues to challenge the minds and views of people.

Rule of law issues and the manner in which there was an à la carteversion to rule of law were the priority this time last year. Some countries still have this. Granted they have stepped up to the mark with regard to the challenge in Ukraine. They have made some extraordinary responses. If the European Union is true to its values, which Ireland endorsed 50 years ago and has endorsed on many occasions since through referendums, then rule of law issues cannot be let slip. The standards of membership and the demands of what it is to be a member cannot be allowed to slip. Unless we do this and continue to keep a focus on it we will undermine these very principles.

Tá sé iontach tar éis feachtais an-láidir go bhfuilimid in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid mar theanga oifigiúil san Aontas Eorpach. Léiríonn sé na deiseanna atá ann maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge agus do na daoine a labhraíonn Gaeilge agus a bhfuil an caighdeán Gaeilge acu. Ba chóir dúinn i bhfad níos mó Gaeilge a úsáid. Ba chóir do na hAirí atá ag dul go dtí an Eoraip agus do Bhaill Pharlaimint na hEorpa an Ghaeilge a úsáid agus iad ag obair san Eoraip.

We can be very proud of all of the Irish people who have served the European Union, the European Community and the European Economic Community. They include our Commissioners, Members of the European Parliament and civil servants. The debate can be very lazy on what Ireland has got from its membership. Ireland has also given a lot. We have given some of our best in Commissioners, MEPs and taoisigh who have chaired instrumental decisions of the European Council, such as German unity and the new accession states. The Minister of State knows more than most that we have to reset our relationship. The relationship of the next 50 years will be very difficult as our nearest neighbour has gone a different path. The work of former taoisigh, MEPs and Commissioners on building relationships will make this reset a little bit easier but the work has to be continued every day. I appeal to the Government to double its efforts to encourage Irish people to work in the secretariats, the Parliament and the Commission at senior Civil Service level so we do not lose the opportunities behind the scenes where the levers really get pulled. We do not have the influence we once had. We need to work harder and smarter.

One hundred years ago this country was on the precipice of a civil war. It was one of its most inward-looking times. Those who fought on both sides had huge ambitions for statehood and for where the country would stand. Fifty years ago we set on the path of maximising this statehood in the Continent of Europe. Today we can reflect with pride and quite a lot of happiness on our membership. We cannot be complacent. When we were complacent, our people gave a message to the political classes in referendums that we cannot treat our membership of Europe as a constant or be complacent about it. We have to defend it and fight for it every day. We have to defend our interests every day. There were times when we were not good at defending our national interest. We have to make sure we do so. We can do this while fighting for European interests also. We should be incredibly proud of the Taoiseach and the Government with regard to how we have responded to Ukraine over recent months as a small state defending the interests of another small state, which should be given fast-track membership of the European Union. Ultimately, this would be the statement that would endorse our 50 years of membership, whereby fledgling states would get the opportunities we did on this day 50 years ago after a referendum.

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