Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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3. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his position regarding the proposed reappointment of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission considering her interventions in respect of Israel's aggression against the people of Palestine. [11048/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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When the President of the European Commission stood in Tel Aviv and declared that Europe stands with Israel on the same week as Israel announced it was going to purposely deny the people of Gaza food, water and electricity, she undermined Europe and she did not speak for Ireland. My question to the Tánaiste is if the Irish Government is seriously contemplating supporting her for a second term in office.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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First, I continue to engage with my European Union counterparts on the crisis in the Middle East. I have made Ireland's position on the conflict clear at the Foreign Affairs Council. I have consistently urged the European Union to support an immediate ceasefire and to impose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers. I called on the European Commission and on European Union partners to restore funding to UNRWA and I welcome the recent announcement by the Commission to provide an immediate €50 million in funding to UNRWA. The Taoiseach and the Prime Minister of Spain have also written to the President of the European Commission on the subject of reviewing the European Union-Israel Association Agreement.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been clear on the need for Israel's response to the attacks on 7 October by Hamas and other militant groups to be in line with international law. In a statement on 9 November, President von der Leyen expressed clearly the need to protect and save lives in Gaza while ensuring humanitarian access.

The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, has been consistent and unambiguous in efforts towards a political solution to this crisis and has maintained extensive engagement with both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, as well as regional partners, to bring an end to the violence and commence a political pathway towards peace.

President von der Leyen has been a strong advocate for the protection of Irish interest throughout the Brexit process. She also provided important leadership in the European Union and support to Ireland during Covid. She has provided consistent leadership on the European Union's multifaceted response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

On 6 and 7 March, at the European People's Party congress in Bucharest, the President of the European Commission is expected to be officially named as her party's candidate.

Ireland will conduct extensive consultations, both internally and with our European partners, before deciding which nominee to support in the European Council.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I agree with the Tánaiste about the important and constructive role that Josep Borrell has played since the aggression against Gaza began. However, Ursula von der Leyen has seriously damaged the credibility of the European Union globally through partisan interventions in support of Israel during the onslaught in Gaza. She offered Benjamin Netanyahu unconditional and unqualified support at what was a pivotal and escalating point in Israel's onslaught against the civilian population in Gaza. The President of the European Commission provided political cover for what has become the genocidal destruction that has unfolded before our eyes.

As a neutral state with an independent foreign policy, Ireland can demand adherence to international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, and I have commended the Government on its consistency in that regard. The current President of the European Commission has not shown the same consistency and, in failing to do so, has damaged the potential of the European Union to play a constructive role in this region. Does the Tánaiste agree it is time for a change so we can rebalance that position?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There have been different views across the European Union for a considerable length of time on the Middle East and particularly on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Because of history going back to the Second World War, the Holocaust and so on, people, particularly in Germany but also elsewhere, look at the conflict through a different lens from others in Europe, including ourselves. We have worked within the European Union with others and with other like-minded states to change the narrative and to try to bring people to a greater consensus. I think we have been relatively impactful, along with others, in terms of moving the European Union towards calling for a humanitarian ceasefire. At the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, 26 member states agreed on sanctions against the West Bank settlers. If someone said to me that would happen a month or six weeks ago, I would have been doubtful. That would certainly have been the case two or three months ago. The point is that we are having an impact. The decision of the President of the Commission last week to change the position with respect to UNRWA and to offer an immediate €50 million is a further sign that people are listening and we are having an influence. That is the best way to proceed now. What will happen after the European elections is that political parties will put forward nominees.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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It is important to remind ourselves the competency for foreign policy at the European Union is at the European Council level. Each state has a veto and Ursula von der Leyen's actions were in clear and direct contravention of that fact. Of course there are different views, and everybody accepts that, but there are not different international laws. There is a single international law and Israel is in grave violation of it. Ursula von der Leyen has yet to call out Israel for that. My fear is that Ursula von der Leyen will get a second term. The European People's Party, EPP, of which Fine Gael is a member, is set to endorse her as the candidate this week. That means nothing, by the way. Manfred Weber was the EPP candidate five years ago and Ursula von der Leyen was part of manoeuvres to undo the Spitzenkandidat process. To ensure we are not isolated at the end of a process, what is needed now is for countries that value international law and have been consistent in demanding adherence to it, as Ireland has, to say clearly that Ursula von der Leyen is not the person to be the face of the European Union in the current circumstances.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not long since the Deputy and his party were making admirable comments about President Ursula von der Leyen in this very Chamber.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Yes. That is why I am saying it is important to be consistent.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am not into the demonisation of individuals. I would say, on the credit side, that President von der Leyen was impactful in respect of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was very well handled by the European Commission and nobody can deny that. When I was Minister for Health in the early 2000s, Europe was at nowhere near that level of cohesion, as Deputy Howlin would agree, in terms of getting industry together and getting Europe together to have one vaccine production system of which everybody could avail. That was an enormous achievement. There has also been great unity in respect of the war in Ukraine.

The Deputy might volunteer at some stage, because I do not know, whether Sinn Féin will be in the same grouping or a different grouping in the next European Parliament. What nominee will it be supporting?

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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It will not matter what grouping we are in. We will not support somebody who has facilitated a genocide.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Are you changing? I heard you might be changing.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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We will not support somebody who has facilitated and endorsed a genocide, regardless of which group we are in.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are in a fairly dodgy group.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I remind both Deputies that there is a Chair here.