Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together.

I visited Strasbourg on 7 and 8 June. I began my visit by meeting representatives of the Council of Europe to mark Ireland's six-month presidency of that body and took the opportunity to visit the European Court of Human Rights and meet with Irish staff members in that court.

At the invitation of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, I had the honour to address the plenary session of Parliament on 8 June. I reflected on the 50 years since Ireland voted to join what is now the European Union. Our membership has been transformative, with an overwhelmingly positive impact across all dimensions of our society. I expressed Ireland's strong support for Ukraine in the face of the immoral war being waged against it by Russia, and for its application for membership of the European Union.

Membership is the most powerful tool we possess to enlarge the sphere of democracy, peace and security in our region and in my contribution, I set out my view that the EU should move more swiftly and decisively on enlargement, especially in the western Balkans. I also took the opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing support and solidarity of our partners in the European Union through the Brexit process.

In concluding my address, I looked to the future, where our guiding principle should be how we can best prepare our Union to continue to meet the needs of its citizens. The European Union is by no means perfect or complete. It is a project that must continue to develop and evolve. Differences will arise between member states, and between the institutions. However, our capacity to work through these issues together makes the EU something to be immensely proud of. We are stronger together, and we achieve most and best when we work together.

While at the Parliament, I had a number of bilateral meetings. I discussed European Union-United Kingdom developments and the protocol with European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič and thanked him for his work in seeking solutions to issues surrounding the protocol. I met Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, and reaffirmed to him Ireland's strong solidarity with the people of Ukraine. He expressed his appreciation for the generous response of the Irish people. I also met David McAllister, MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, and conveyed Ireland's appreciation for the strong support of the European Parliament on Brexit.

Together with President Metsola, I unveiled a bust in the European Parliament to honour the life and career of the late John Hume. It will be a fitting and permanent reminder of John's unwavering commitment to peace on the island of Ireland, and a reflection of his great work achieved in Europe, including as an MEP for 25 years. John had the vision to see the narrative of Ireland's path to peace in the wider narrative of peace in Europe, a peace built on respect for political and cultural diversity cemented with economic interdependence. As we see the return of war to our Continent, it is a vision that must remain an inspiration and guide to us all.

See this speech in context