Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On 9 May 1950, the French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, proposed that France and Germany pool their resources of steel and coal in an organisation that would be open to other European countries. Just five years after the Second World War, it was a remarkable moment, with old enemies seeing that they had more in common than what divided them. Eventually, they would build a new European Community through a Common Market which we ourselves joined on this very day in 1972, exactly 50 years ago. I did not have a vote at the time but if I had voted, I would have voted for no other reason than to break the connection with England, to quote another Kildare man from my neck of the woods. Being members of the European Union has brought many opportunities to us on the island of Ireland, as we build peace and prosperity for all the people who live here.

I said that we are Europeans in our own right but Ireland had a leading role in Europe centuries before the Common Market and the EU. Columbanus, now considered a patron saint of Europe, set up communities across the Continent in France, Austria and Italy. One does not have to be religious to see and value the significance of Columbanus in Europe, his unifying spirit for the people and his rescuing of civilisation in the sixth century of the common era. It is no wonder that Robert Schuman referred to him in his speeches in Europe and no wonder he reminded Europeans of the value and power of the man born in Wexford - or Carlow, as was mentioned a few minutes ago - around the year 540 and who died in Italy.

On this Europe Day, 72 years after Schuman made his declaration, we see war in our Continent and invasion on the borders of our Continent. Leaving out the conflict in the North and the Balkan genocide, it is the first time we have seen all-out invasion and war in Europe since the Second World War. There is now a lot of talk about the values of Europe and I believe we need to look closely at them again. I believe we need to bring the management of our Union closer to the people because the EU cannot be a situation of the rulers and the ruled, with unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats and technocrats deciding the future of peoples from a position of distance. People must have the confidence and security that they, through their votes and elected representatives, hold the power.

I am delighted that Chris MacManus MEP, who replaced Deputy Matt Carthy for the Midlands-North-West constituency, is so often in the constituency of Kildare North, as, indeed, Deputy Carthy was before him. It is important that MEPs are connected to the people they represent in Europe and Chris MacManus certainly keeps me busy finding people that he wants to meet around north Kildare.

The EU also plays a key role on the Northern Ireland protocol, which is of such significance to people in the Six Counties, who want their children to live in the future and want a good life, prosperity and progress for all. That the majority of MLAs elected last week are in favour of the protocol is of significant importance to us here. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of my own party, who increased their vote in the North, and to all who had success in the elections. I offer my commiserations to those who lost their seats. It is an awful position to be in, particularly if they are working for constituents as that awful feeling that they have let them down can be soul destroying. It was unfortunate to lose the two Green MLAs but I know that Philip McGuigan in North Antrim will take up that baton.

On the bright side, I have lost count of the number of people who came into my constituency office on Friday and again yesterday, just popping their head around, or who stopped me when I was out and about, because they see this new dawn for our beautiful island. It is great to see that interest in the Twenty-six Counties at this seismic and historic change that took place in the North.

In the Brexit referendum, the majority who voted in the North chose to remain in the EU and, in the inevitability of a united Ireland, they will realise that voted intention and be fully back in the EU automatically. That is something we must start preparing for. We cannot put a citizens’ assembly on unity on the long finger. We must be ready for that inevitability, particularly as Europe has worked so hard to support the North during Brexit.

Ukraine too is anxious to join a union of peoples. We have opened our hearts and our homes to the Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s war. I met H.E. Larysa Gerasko yesterday and the pain on her face was palpable. The value of dignity, freedom, hope and solidarity needs to be recommitted to, especially here in this State as we face our own crisis of homelessness. With those same values, I hope that next Europe Day we will see peace on our Continent for all of our peoples.

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