Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I will begin where the previous Government speaker finished, which was on the recent High Court ruling on CETA. Government Members have said that there is no legal requirement for a referendum. However, enough has happened in terms of public discussion and public discourse. There is probably an ethical and civic requirement. If this is to become law, perhaps there is a requirement for us to have that conversation and a referendum is certainly one way for us to do that. While there might not be a legal requirement, there is certainly a civic requirement. In a country, politicians have responsibility to convince the public. I would hold a very different view in believing there is an ethical and civic requirement for a referendum before we even attempt to ratify the parts of CETA including the investment courts. When the Deputy says that is nothing to worry about, I note that some parts of Romania, for example, are currently being sued by a corporation.

Even Scotland was sued by the alcohol industry over a decade ago. There is definitely a civic requirement for a referendum and we in the Social Democrats are pushing and supporting that call.

In terms of my discussion around the post-European Council statement, I want to take a look at some of the Taoiseach’s comments. There is a confluence of crises happening that requires leadership and Ireland is in a unique position to provide strong moral leadership and to take a step out to the side. Hostilities are incredibly heightened at the minute and there is a responsibility on us and potentially on others to step outside the hostilities. While we condemn Russia's horrid invasion of Ukraine in the strongest terms, we saw last night how quickly tensions can rise. I note for example that Germany's defence ministry last night was very quick to suggest sending aircraft to patrol Polish air space because the assumption that there were Russian rockets. Indeed, they probably were Russian rockets but perhaps they came from Ukraine and went into Poland. We need to be extraordinarily careful. We need to step away from this jump to militarisation. There is a role for Ireland here. Our position as a country is that we have never invaded another and that, along with our role on the UN Security Council, means that we can be the people who step forward in the call for diplomatic solutions in the immediate term because the world is in a precarious place.

Ireland must and will continue to support refugees and we must overcome the equity issues that arise in regards accommodation. It was announced yesterday for example in my own constituency of Dublin Central that it is likely that 600 Ukrainian refugees will be coming into Drumcondra and East Wall. In inner city Dublin and in Dublin Central as a whole, we have played a massive part in welcoming and in being enhanced by the people who have come to us from Ukraine. We also need supports to help the people who came as refugees. That support must come in the form of childcare places and extra provision for education. Everybody is playing the part in our collective effort. I have not seen the level of hostility that has been talked about elsewhere, but there are basic human needs for which we needs supports, in the areas of education, childcare places and in access to the jobs market. That can foster this continuing spirit of collective endeavour that we have seen.

Energy bills have doubled in the EU capitals according to new data. The EU is in a deep crisis when it comes to energy this winter. That will further exacerbate the level of poverty that already existed in the European Union. I will make the point in all statements before and after every EU Council that poverty is the single greatest threat to the European Union. I believe at the moment one in five people in European Union are living in poverty. If people start to feel cold, both in real and philosophical terms, and if they do not feel the warmth of the EU, that will be a real threat. We have seen that with Brexit, where the communities that were left behind because of advancement were the same ones that went out and voted against being part of the European Union. If we are to have a place it needs to be to confront the everyday lived experiences of people within our borders.

I will briefly touch on COP27. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said that loss and damage is the priority at COP27 and I endorse those that. It has to be. With that principle in mind, we have to focus on the Horn of Africa. This issue has already been touched on by speakers such as Deputy Haughey and others. The drought, famine and human tragedy that are unfolding in the Horn of Africa at present are unimaginable. We have to both play our part and stand forward and demonstrate as much leadership as possible because the tragedy that is happening there is unlike anything we have seen, certainly in my lifetime. We need to support the charities that are working on the ground and that are getting whatever resources into those communities so that they can access water and food. We are seeing child loss of life on a scale that is simply tragic. Though so many other issues are currently happening, I can think of no greater role that we can play than to be people who are standing up for those who are in need in the Horn of Africa and I hope that we can do that.

I wanted to touch on Italy’s recent elections and rule of order principles, but I can talk about that next time.

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