Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A Cheann Chomhairle, a Chathaoirligh, a Bhaill an Oireachtais agus a Uachtaráin von der Leyen, cuirim céad míle fáilte romhaibh chuig an gcomhshuí speisialta seo de Dháil agus de Sheanad Éireann tráthnóna inniu. Is pribhléid agus onóir mhór dúinn, a Uachtaráin, go bhfuil tú anseo linn ag ceiliúradh 50 bliain de bhallraíocht na hÉireann san Aontas Eorpach ón uair a chaith pobal na tíre seo vóta sa reifreann ar 10 Bealtaine, 1972. Táimid fíorbhuíoch díot, a Uachtaráin, as ucht do cheannaireachta san Eoraip agus ar son do chuid oibre ar fad agus an tacaíocht go léir a thugann tú go leanúnach don tír seo. Mar Thaoiseach, táim iontach sásta go bhfuil an tír seo lárnach i ngnóthaí na hEorpa agus go dtugtar cluas éisteachta don tír ag leibhéal Eorpach.

I thank President von der Leyen for her visit here today. It is a day to celebrate and to reflect on our membership of the European Union. Let me begin by recalling the words of my predecessor as Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, who President von der Leyen described as an optimist. I reflected as she said that it is obvious why he was an optimist - he was born in the city of Cork where optimism is always aplenty. When Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, speaking in Brussels in January 1972 where he had just signed the Accession Treaty with his colleague Patrick Hillery, said:

Geography has placed us on the periphery of the Continent. But we are an integral part of Europe, bound to it by many centuries of shared civilisation, traditions and ideals... Since statehood, my country, conscious of its European past, has sought to forge new and stronger links with the Continent. In this, we were renewing and revitalizing historic bonds.

These words continue to resonate and help to explain, five decades later, why our welcome for President von der Leyen in these Houses today is such a genuine and heartfelt one. One of the most inspiring things about that decision 50 years ago is that despite the misgivings and opposition of some, the Irish people took the path of hope, voting overwhelmingly in favour of membership, a decision that has been vindicated time and time again. During the past 50 years sharing our sovereignty with our European partners has helped to make us all safer, stronger and more prosperous. Close reciprocal co-operation with our European partners has been central to our transformation, helping us to emerge as a modern, open economy and society. Ireland’s membership of this Union has had an overwhelmingly positive impact across all dimensions of our society. For our part, Ireland has been proud to contribute strongly to the shaping of today’s European Union, which we have come to see as our home.

A Cheann Chomhairle, it is unfortunately impossible to talk about Europe today without reflecting on the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine. Russia’s illegal and immoral aggression against its peaceful neighbour represents an horrific and violent assault. The impact on the Ukrainian people has been devastating and truly shocking. When I visited in July I heard first-hand civilian accounts of the brutality and violence visited upon Ukrainian men, women and children by occupying Russian forces. The wanton destruction, including targeting of nuclear facilities and of other energy and civilian infrastructure, shows Russia behaving as a rogue state. The impact of Russia’s aggression has also reached far beyond Ukraine and has affected every home and business. The energy crisis and its impact on the cost of living is as keenly felt here in Ireland as it is in other countries throughout the European Union. The Irish people have, in the face of this destruction and devastation, opened our communities, our homes and our hearts to more than 65,000 Ukrainians who have fled to Ireland since the end of February. We remain unswerving in our political support for Ukraine, including in championing Ukraine’s path towards European Union membership. The Government in Kyiv is firmly determined, despite the awful circumstances in which it operates, to meet the high bar required for accession to the European Union. I have consistently advocated that a free, sovereign and democratic Ukraine is part of our European family and belongs in the European Union. As temperatures drop and as Russia keeps up its relentless attacks on vital civilian infrastructure, the people of Ukraine face a long and very difficult winter.

President von der Leyen, like you, this Parliament stands in solidarity with Ukraine. With you, the people of Ireland stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine. President von der Leyen, I would like to commend you on your leadership in response to this horrific war. When you and your new team of Commissioners took office this day three years ago, you committed to deliver a greener, fairer and more digital European Union. The strength of your commitment to this objective has been maintained, and indeed increased, through two historic crises, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war on Ukraine. The scale of the challenges which have confronted the European Union and its member states since early 2020 has been immense but our response, with your leadership, has been likewise unprecedented.

When Covid-19 struck, the European Union found itself in uncharted territory with responsibility at national level potentially limiting the European Union’s scope for action on public health. Despite this complexity, the leadership provided by the European Commission played no small part in mobilising a decisive European Union response that demonstrated to our citizens the strength in our unity. In particular, the European Commission was central to efforts to accelerate the development, manufacturing and deployment of safe and effective vaccines.I well remember our many both brief and detailed conversations at critical times during the early months of the vaccine programme. I would like, on a personal level, to thank you on behalf of the Irish people for your steadfast commitment to ensuring equality between countries in achieving access to the vaccines. We were only able to implement one of the most successful vaccine programmes in the world because of the secure supplies which we secured through joint European Union programmes. Many lives and livelihoods were saved because of this. Europe was not only the place where the world’s first licensed MRNA vaccine was developed, by BioNTech in Germany, but unlike others, Europe exported vaccines and their components throughout the pandemic, offering hope and solidarity to others around the world.

The European Union also broke new ground in response to the economic challenge of the pandemic. The historic €2 trillion EU budgetary package agreed by the European Council in July 2020 was a milestone in European Union solidarity. It sent an important message that, in the most testing of times, European Union leaders can work together and find a solution that delivers for our citizens. This has provided substantial funding for economic recovery across Europe through targeted and front-loaded green and digital investments.

In response to the current energy crisis, you have maintained a strong focus on accelerating the green transition, through initiatives such as REPowerEU, as the only viable long-term solution. The war has only reinforced the need to step up investments in energy infrastructure, including interconnections, and in innovative renewable technologies to enhance our energy security and to meet our climate ambitions. There is no time to waste. Last week in Paris, we signed contracts for the Celtic interconnector project. A remarkable 575 km of cable will link Cork to Brittany. Over €500 million has been contributed through the EU Connecting Europe Facility, and the interconnector will bring real benefits to the citizens of both France and Ireland. It is a further practical demonstration of the mutual benefits of co-operation throughout the European Union and is only the first step in terms of developing a true European grid.

The Commission has also played a decisive role in reinforcing our collective commitment to social progress through support for initiatives such as the European Pillar of Social Rights. This is reflected in the endorsement by European Union leaders in May 2021 of the Porto declaration, which includes concrete employment, skills and poverty-reduction targets to be achieved by 2030. It is a reminder that the EU has been the greatest force for employment growth and social progress in our history. As we have discussed many times, the facts show that it is the citizens of Europe who have benefited every time we have shown urgency and ambition in developing the Union.

The EU is, of course, one of the finest examples of conflict resolution and peace building the world has ever seen. During my visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg in June, I had the honour of unveiling a bust of one of the greatest Irish people and Europeans of the 20th century, John Hume. John Hume saw the same three principles at the heart of the European Union that came to underpin peace in Ireland: respect for difference, which otherwise becomes conflict; institutions which respect this difference; and working together in the common interest that breaks down the barriers of the past.

The part played by the EU in our journey towards peace and reconciliation on this island has been significant. Our European partners also made, and continue to make, their contribution through steadfast support for generous peace and reconciliation programmes. You have stood with Ireland and Northern Ireland as we worked together to manage the unique challenges for this island resulting from the UK’s decision to leave the European Union: making the objectives of sustaining peace, avoiding a hard border - I welcome your strong comments again today in respect of that - and protecting the all-island economy a European Union priority from the very beginning of negotiations.

I had the opportunity earlier today to once again express to you, President von der Leyen, our appreciation for the European Union’s unswerving solidarity with Ireland throughout Brexit. Like you, we want to see a new and vital partnership with the United Kingdom, a constructive one, which will be achieved if we can resolve the issues relating to the protocol. With the right political will, I believe we can achieve that.

We are a free democracy. We have loud debates which include a full range of opinions, but let there be no doubt where the Irish people stand in relation to the European Union and our membership. The Eurobarometer report earlier this year showed 71% of Irish citizens holding a positive view of the European Union, the highest figure recorded, and significantly higher than the EU 27 average of 44%. It showed as many as 88% of Irish citizens being optimistic about the future of the European Union. We should never take this support for granted. We must continue to seek and embrace ways to engage citizens on the aims and the benefits of this great Union. We must continue to have a positive agenda of seeking ways to make our Union stronger and more effective. Thank you, President von der Leyen, for your visit today, for your support over the past three years and for your distinguished contribution to shaping Europe’s future.