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

The Deputy is correct in that the Ceann Comhairle, on behalf of this Parliament, invited President von der Leyen at the time, in acknowledgement of the role of the President of the Commission in respect of Brexit and of resolutely defending Ireland's situation vis-à-vis the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.

Yes, many parties gave a very warm response, including Sinn Féin and others, to President von der Leyen at the time. We do not underestimate the role of the European Commission and of the European Union more generally, and all of the member states, in supporting Ireland's position in not having a hard border, in the peace process and continued support through the European Peace Facility. The European Union has been a very progressive force for peace in Ireland; do not forget that, and that is more generally.

I find it interesting that, in a classic populist approach, the entire European elections now seem to boil down just to one person. Of course, it is not about that at all. It is about how we believe the European Union should evolve into the future in the member states working together on social, economic, trade and public health policies. Those are the issues, together with whether we are pro-European Union or not.

Deputy Boyd Barrett is against the European Union and he always has been, so he uses every opportunity to have a cut.

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