Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the Members for their interesting contributions. It is fitting in this House, as we represent the sovereign will of the Irish people, that we pause to reflect on the past, present and future of the European Union and Ireland's unique and valued place within it. We must never forget when we talk about the European Union that we are the European Union. The European Union is not a foreign entity. It is a union and we are all members of it. We elect the governments that make up the Council, we elect the MEPs that make up the Parliament. Any law that passes through the European Union has to be passed by both of them. When we joined the European Economic Community in 1973, we embraced Robert Schuman's idea of shared sovereignty for shared prosperity. Our membership has helped transform a country from an isolated economy on the periphery of Europe to a modern, open and globally connected State. It is no exaggeration to say that we have been transformed. One million people were working in this country in 1973 and there are 2.7 million people working here now. European Union membership has been key to that. We have shaped our society as well, reinforced our commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We have opened opportunities for citizens to live, work, study and travel across the Continent. That is why support in Ireland for the European Union and our membership of it is among the highest in the world. I did not mention the word "euroscepticism" until now but it has been mentioned on the Opposition benches. Irish support for membership is very high, and the people who support it the most are our young people. The surveys show that.

It has never been solely about economics, although they are very important. We saw in the EU a political and moral project, one that places peace, reconciliation and human dignity at its core. For us Catholics, it is no coincidence that Robert Schuman is on the road to canonisation. He has been declared a Venerable by the Catholic Church for his work for peace. This man is not just a politician but a very important religious figure within the Roman Catholic Church, because of what he did for peace. We have always championed a Union in which all member states, large and small, have an equal voice. As a small nation we have benefitted enormously from this principle. We became independent in the 1920s, formed our Constitution in the 1930s and then became a Republic. The reality is that our sovereignty was very much dependent on what might happen in London, until we joined the European Economic Community. It is my contention that our sovereignty has been enhanced by joining the European Economic Community, which became the European Union.

Unity has helped the European Union but we have not always been united. We are certainly not united on the situation in Gaza and Palestine. That is absolutely the case. Nor are we united on the case of Ukraine, I would have to say. There are people there who do not agree with what the European Union has done. Schuman said that Europe will not be made all at once or according to a single plan, but that it will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity. These words ring true today as they did in 1950, when the Venerable Robert Schuman said them. Europe Day, on 9 May, is a time to reflect on these achievements and the values that underpin them. Here in Ireland, we mark the day through public events, school programmes and of course through this annual debate in the Oireachtas. We did it in the Seanad last week. It is more than a formality to debate this and discuss it. It is a chance to reaffirm our deep commitment to the European Union and to articulate our vision for the future. People have various visions for the future. We elect our governments and MEPs to put that vision into practice. That is why they are there. On the democratic deficit, I have never seen our MEPs more engaged with constituents than they currently are and have been in the last number of parliaments. They are much more visible on the ground and much more active in public debate. The public are much more aware of them.

As Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and defence, I see every day the importance of the Union, the work we do to defend democracy and the rule of law, the steps we take to deepen our security and defence co-operation and the solidarity we show Ukraine and other partners under threat. As the European Union continues to evolve to meet new challenges, it is right that we pause both to look forward and to acknowledge the extraordinary individuals who have shaped our path quietly, courageously and with great conviction.

I smiled when Sinn Féin talked about supporting Europe and mentioned the word "eurosceptic" first. In all the EU referendums held in Ireland, each time, Sinn Féin said no to the EU. I am very proud that my party, Fianna Fáil, led Ireland into the European Union. Unlike almost all the Opposition parties, we advocated a yes vote in 1972. I have to refute the euroscepticism that has been outlined by some in the Opposition. We see Ireland's place at the heart of Europe, shaping those debates, talking very strongly about the issues that matter to us, shaping the legislation, making sure Irish interests are protected. We do not double-speak. We do not fudge or remove articles from our party's website. Our answer is yes to the European Union, yes to our European Union, and yes to a Union that delivers prosperity and peace to our citizens.

I will talk briefly about security and defence. It is important to remember, as some Members in fairness have acknowledged, that security and defence is always a matter for the member states. Our tradition of neutrality is very much recognised every single time there is a decision or conclusion in relation to defence. When people talk about defence, what are we talking about? We are protecting our independence. What is the difference between an independent Ireland and an Ireland under the British? It is that we can protect ourselves. We should have Defence Forces that can protect this island, ward off cyber threats and protect our economic security and our peace. We will not be joining NATO and we will not be joining any EU common defence. There are no proposals for an EU common defence. Those who rightly talk about Robert Schuman in glowing terms seem to forget or maybe do not know that he was one of the founding signatories of NATO. He saw common defence among those countries that decided to join NATO as a way of protecting the peace they built among themselves. Every country has its own nuance on defence. We must understand everybody's particular defence requirements. It is different in Greece from how it is in Lithuania, and different there from how it is in Ireland.

Too frequently in this House, investment in our security has been presented as a binary choice as to whether we are in favour of military neutrality or not. We need to move away from this false dichotomy. I heard the Social Democrats' Deputy Gibney citing the use of arms on a number of occasions. She also cited the situation in the Mediterranean Sea. She is right to do so, but it would be welcome to hear Deputies recognising and commending the involvement of members of the Irish Defence Forces in Operation IRINI when comments like this are made. Members of our Defence Forces are contributing to this effectively humanitarian operation to prevent arms coming from Libya. It is contributing to a European Union military operation under the umbrella of the common security and defence policy. It is protecting us from these illegal weapons shipments but it is also very humanitarian in terms of helping some of the poorest of the poor who are found in the Mediterranean, who are on ships they should not be on, who are being trafficked and who are completely hopeless. Members of our Defence Forces over there, there are not too many of them, are doing tremendous work. We need to get real about the complexities of security and defence. It is not simply about neutrality or not, it is about protecting ourselves and making sure we can keep the peace that we all value and fight for. It is about making sure our military neutrality is respected, which it is, but that we are also living up to the commitments which we owe ourselves and nobody else.

On the situation in Palestine, I am glad Deputy Lahart mentioned the Taoiseach's comments yesterday. They were extremely strong. We tend to get very strident criticism from some of the Opposition in relation to the Government's stance on Palestine.

We also get strident opposition and criticism from the Government of Israel about what the Irish Government has done and said. The Irish Government has been one of the strongest advocates for the people of Palestine and for a two-state solution. We have been very clear in that regard. We have a consistent political and moral position that there must be two states. They must be allowed to coexist together where human rights are upheld. The actions the Government of Israel is taking, and its proposals to clear people out of Gaza and to remove and prevent food getting in, are war crimes. The Taoiseach has been very clear in that regard. We cannot just decide at a European level that this is our position, however. Other countries simply do not take the exact same position. There have been some references to that effect.

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