Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the House. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on statements to mark Europe Day.

The latest research from the European Movement Ireland confirms that Irish people are positively disposed to the European Union and are enthusiastic Europeans. Up to 92% of those polled agree that Ireland should remain a part of the EU and that it is important that Irish people input into the debate on the future development of the EU. Up to 87% agree that, taking everything into consideration, Ireland has on balance benefitted from being an EU member. While we overwhelmingly wish to remain in the EU and acknowledge Ireland has, on balance, benefitted from being a member of the EU, that does not mean the EU does not need to put its house in order in certain critical areas.

I take issue with the EU's 2015 agenda for migration, a blueprint for managing migration. According to Oxfam Ireland's excellent report, Beyond Fortress Europe, three years on, it is clear the EU's migration policies have sacrificed people's safety and well-being in order to stop irregular migration at all costs. A more principled, humane and balanced approach is needed that will promote the benefits associated with migration for European host countries. I was an immigrant myself in Britain and never considered myself a burden. Instead, I considered myself a net contributor. Why can we not see that those who seek to live among us would not bring the same positive contribution? The current European approach is pushing people to take longer and more dangerous routes. We have all seen the horror of flimsy boats sinking and people's lives lost. We know too of the increasing risks that people on the move face as they flee from armed conflict, with women and children at particular risk of violence and trafficking.

The EU must also act in places of particular pressure or hotspots. There is severe overcrowding on Greek islands with over 15,700 asylum seekers trapped on these islands for indefinite and prolonged periods in conditions well below minimum EU standards. There are also concerns arising out of the implementation by the local authorities in Lesbos of the new medical template to assess the vulnerability of asylum seekers developed by the European Commission and EU agencies. When we are speaking about a vulnerable person, we are speaking about victims of torture, sexual and gender-based violence survivors and people with a disability that is not immediately visible like autism or dementia. Legal and humanitarian actors present in Lesbos have witnessed how this medical template is currently used in a way that drastically minimises the available safeguards for vulnerable asylum seekers under Greek and EU laws.

As well as ensuring that people seeking asylum in the EU are provided with adequate shelter and services, the EU has to help Greece, one of its member states, by ensuring an equal and fair distribution of refugees and asylum seekers throughout the Greek and EU territories. Ireland must play its part in welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. I understand we are still falling well short of meeting our commitment to welcome 4,000 refugees. We must also use our influence in the EU to ensure that European law and national legislation meet, at a minimum, international and human rights standards, as well as protecting the rights of migrants and refugees. Will the Minister of State offer reassurances that Ireland is doing its bit in this regard and making that case?

As well as being an enthusiastic and active member of the EU and its institutions, Ireland is also a member of other useful Europe-wide bodies including the Council of Europe. This is wider than the EU with 47 members and has been a force for good. For example, in 2011 the Council of Europe opened for signature the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention. Member states which ratify it are legally bound by the convention which also includes independent monitoring. Ratification means better protections for women, children and others. So far 30 countries, although not Ireland, have ratified. The signing into law this week by the President of the Domestic Violence Act brings us a step closer to ratification.

Since January, I have been a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, PACE. Indeed, our own Senator O'Reilly is its Vice President. PACE is the deliberative organ of the Council of Europe dealing with matters falling within the council's activities. In general, these activities can be viewed as discussions and actions in the field of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In December, the Council of Europe published a periodic review of Ireland. It is a really useful report, a human rights to-do list, but one that got little attention in the Oireachtas, in the media or even among civil society organisations. At the last PACE session in April, there were important discussions on a wide range of issues, including one in which I spoke about the humanitarian needs and rights of internally displaced people in Europe, some 4 million people including 1.7 million people in Ukraine because of conflict and political upheaval and 270,000 in Cyprus, people displaced for almost 40 years from their homes and communities. Coming up next time in June are important issues including the election of judges to the European Count of Human Rights, protection of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member states, political transition in Egypt and child protection.

We need to do much more to promote knowledge and understanding of the workings of the Council of Europe, to be accountable and establish an ongoing feedback and two-way dialogue between the Irish PACE delegation and the Oireachtas, as well as with civil society organisations. Another important debate occurred at the last PACE meeting in April which centred around the conduct of PACE itself, where the ugly face of corruption had reared its head. Former Irish member, Michael McNamara, played his part in providing information on these concerns and allegations. No current or former Irish PACE members were involved. The allegations were independently and thoroughly investigated by imminent former judges from the UK, Sweden and France. There is a welcome and unequivocal statement from PACE to a zero tolerance of corruption. In the statement, PACE invited the national parliaments and their national delegations to the assembly, as well as national governments, to take the necessary measures in the cases mentioned in the report and to report back to the assembly by the end of 2018.

Fortunately, while no specific action is required by the Irish Government or delegation, it is important for the Minister of State to be aware of this important report in order we can continue to be proud and upstanding members of PACE, proud members of the Council Europe and the good work it does, proud members of the EU and proud Europeans celebrating Europe Day.