Seanad debates

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Mary FitzpatrickMary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the three MEPs, who are very welcome. I thank them also for all of the work they do on behalf of the people of Dublin. I appreciate that they do it in the context of the European Union community but it is very important that we have strong representation within the European Parliament.

I want to make a particular reference to the pandemic. How quickly we all forget. It is great that we can, as humans, put those things behind us. The European Union provided very strong leadership throughout the pandemic. It was a very challenging time for us all individually, for our country, and for the European Union community generally. There was leadership around research developments, the vaccines, the medicines, and all the really important economic supports.

Now in Dublin today, as we all quickly forget about the trials, tribulations and restrictions of the pandemic, we are all acutely aware of the pressures of the climate crisis and the energy crisis. The energy crisis and the climate crisis threaten not just us as individuals, our homes, our families but also businesses, our economy and our society. We can talk about the European Green Deal and it is really encouraging to hear the MEPs saying how, if anything, the war in Ukraine is actually accelerating and increasing our ambition around the green deal and the European Union's green ambitions. It is hugely important the MEPs understand that from a Dublin perspective this is what the people of Dublin want to see. That is what they want to see delivered. They want to see strong leadership from the European Union on this. They want to see the EU really support Ireland in making its contribution. We have an ambitious climate action plan for our country. We have significant and challenging targets. There is enormous opportunity with offshore wind, which is untapped. We have passed the legislation here to establish the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA. The maritime area consent legislation will be in place. I would like to hear in the responses of the MEPs-----

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