Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ireland has changed and is changing. Brexit is responsible for some of that. The EU took a significant decision when it stated to our then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, at the outset of Brexit that, in the context of Irish reunification, the North will automatically rejoin the EU and the North’s citizens will become full EU citizens once again. That is a very important statement recognising that the Good Friday Agreement sets out the next step on Ireland’s journey; the ending of partition and the holding of referendums on reunification. The responsible thing for all of us to do now is to prepare for democratic, orderly and planned constitutional change. President von der Leyen acknowledged our great love of saoirse, freedom, and our refusal to give up, concede or surrender to division or discrimination. We have come a very long way but we have another length of the journey to go. Just as the Commission played a key role in the peace process, I believe that the EU can and will play a positive role in the last length of that journey to Irish reunification, namely, a united Ireland within the EU.

Tá an t-athrú seo ag tarlú tar éis 50 bliain de bhallraíocht na tíre san Aontas Eorpach. Is é an rud is tábhachtaí sa chomhrá seo ná go gcaithfimid éisteacht le muintir na hEorpa. Tá dúil aige sa chomhionannas agus sa phróiseas. Caithfear todhchaí a thógáil ina mbeidh oibrithe, teaghlaigh agus pobail cosanta os cionn leasanna dílsithe nó iad siúd a bhfuil cumhacht acu. We want to see a bridging of the democratic deficit at a European level. We want to see advances on workers' rights, environmental protection, social justice, sustainable and ethical trade, research and development, which are all areas where we can make progress but they will challenge the EU. They will challenge certain orthodoxies and we must rise to that challenge. The climate emergency is an existential one. As Ireland works to secure energy security and energy independence, as President von der Leyen acknowledged, and a greener future for younger generations, we know that solidarity is crucial in delivering the major changes that are needed to secure a really meaningful impact. Through working together on these issues, we can deliver tangible and lasting change to our citizens’ lives. That is our vision for Europe.

We are an island nation at once on the periphery of Europe and at the heart of Europe. However, to be Irish is not simply to be from a small nation. We are also part of a powerful global family. We are something of an outlier as a European state in that we were colonised; we were not the coloniser. We have seen conflict, partition and occupation. We are and will remain a militarily neutral and non-aligned country. The President quoted a formidable Irish American earlier on and I want to go to the other side of the world and echo the words shared in this Chamber 35 years ago by the then Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. He described us well when he said:

Ireland is the head of a huge empire in which Australia and the United States are the principal provinces. It is an empire acquired not by force of Irish arms but by force of Irish character, an empire not of political coercion but of spiritual affiliation, created by the thousands upon thousands of Irish men and women who chose to leave these shores, or who were banished from them, to help in the building of new societies over the years.

In an increasingly complex world in which our multilateral institutions must work and prevail, the presence of military neutrals and non-aligned countries can be a critical interlocutor in the work of peace, disarmament and social justice. The next step is the recognition and acknowledgement of military neutrals and non-aligned countries within the EU treaties and EU basic law. That must happen within the Constitution of our country also. This would be a hugely positive step forward and would add to the diplomatic repertoire and scope of the European Union.

There is no doubt there are many challenges facing Europe. If we are true to our shared commitments and values, they can show what can be achieved through solidarity and resolve and they can improve our citizens’ lives. We remain committed to working with our European friends on these issues as we work for a better life for all our people. Seasann muid ag tráth athraithe san Eoraip. Is tráth dúshlánach é a chuireann deiseanna os ár gcomhair. Is am don rogha é freisin. Is féidir le todhchaí na hEorpa a bheith mar cheann de dhul chun cinn.

We stand at a crossroads and we have decisions to make. The future of Europe can be one of retreat or one of hopeful progress; we must choose progress. It can be a future in which citizens can be disillusioned or empowered; we must choose empowerment. It can be a future of opportunities for the few at the top or a future of opportunity and prosperity for all; we must choose a race to the top. Now is the time to look forward to the future with ambition and hope. By working together we can build a new Ireland and reinvigorate the vision of Europe. We still believe we can make Ireland better. We still know we can help in making Europe better and we believe above all that, working together, we can make the world better too.

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