Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit atá anseo fá choinne na ráiteas tábhachtach seo.

Sinn Féin believes in the EU. We believe that Ireland's future is at the heart of a just and equal EU and we will continue to engage with its institutions actively and critically. While there is much good in the EU, there are areas where we should continue being critical. We are concerned about the continuing and increasing militarisation within the EU. We believe it is important that Ireland maintain the freedom to develop its own independent foreign policy. It is also important that there be a core space for militarily non-aligned neutral states within the EU.

Sinn Féin believes that, although Ireland remains committed and invested in the EU, we should preserve the capacity to maintain areas of sovereignty, particularly over fiscal policy. To that end, we support the maintenance of unanimity in voting on EU policy, which protects the rights of smaller states like Ireland.We believe in the further expansion of the EU, and, as colleagues have mentioned, we support the current applications for membership of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Sinn Féin has condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and we continue to do so. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We also believe the EU and this State should be doing more to help countries, especially Moldova, which is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Moldova is shouldering the majority of the effort of dealing with refugees from the conflict.

The impact of the war in Ukraine is being felt right across the world, as the Minister of State knows. The global south, which must also contend with the impact of climate change, political instability and the failure of the developed world to provide adequate supplies of Covid-19 vaccines, will be faced with enormous food shortages. Some countries are 100% reliant on Ukraine and Russia for grain supplies and the supply interruption as a consequence of the conflict has the potential to contribute to famine in the year ahead if measures are not taken and taken now. The EU responded rapidly and robustly to the Russian invasion, and Sinn Féin supported that. However, it is important that the values central to the EU ideal, which has been used to guide its response to Russian aggression, are also used to guide the EU's response to the abuse of human rights in other countries and regions. The EU has repeatedly failed to act in any significant way on human rights abuses in Palestine. Amnesty International and the UN have produced reports that clearly show Israel's policies towards Palestinians amount to apartheid.

The EU has, as the Minister of State acknowledged, played a significant role to date in defending the protocol. This will remain important in the time ahead as the British Government tries to undermine and subvert the protocol, which it signed up to, negotiated and agreed. Many participants at events in Ireland and the Conference on the Future of Europe felt that people in the North should receive continued support from the EU. The assembly election results represent a historic milestone, with Sinn Féin holding the position of First Minister and being the largest party in the assembly. The election demonstrated again the majority support for pro-EU and anti-Brexit parties. We welcome the conclusion of the Conference on the Future of Europe and many of the recommendations that were brought forward. We believe the EU should become more autonomous in energy production and Ireland is strategically placed to become a major producer of wind energy from offshore wind farms.

Ba mhaith liom a aithint agus a mholadh go bhfuil an Ghaeilge anois aitheanta mar theanga oifigiúil de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh. Cruthaíonn sé seo sealanna faoi choinne post agus tuilleadh idirghníomhaithe idir Ghaeilgeoirí anseo in Éirinn agus institiúidí de chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh.

While we celebrate the EU on Europe Day many of us sadly must look on as rights, entitlements and representation we once had as result of a Brexit we voted against. I think, in particular, of the DiscoverEU programme, which I have raised a number of times in the House. The programme in question gave 35,000 18-year-olds across the EU a one-month free Interrail pass. What a fantastic, valuable and positive initiative. It gives young people the opportunity to explore, learn, develop and grow. Sadly, this scheme is denied to EU citizens in the North. That opportunity has been shut down to them. Is mór an trua é sin. I hope this can be reflected upon and that similar welcome schemes are open to all EU citizens throughout all of Ireland. Ireland's place in the EU is safe and secure and Sinn Féin will continue to play a positive role in developing its future in an egalitarian, just and progressive direction.