Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá fíorfháilte roimh Uachtarán an Choimisiúin go dtí Teach Laighean inniu. I welcome the President of the Commission and thank her for her address. Indeed, I thank Dr. von der Leyen for her acknowledgement of the benefits that Europe had to Ireland and, more importantly, the benefits that we brought and gave, and delivered to the European project.

On 6 December 1922, 100 years ago, the Irish State officially came into existence. This monumental achievement was the result of a huge sacrifice by generations of our ancestors in order that we as a nation would be at least partially free, sovereign and, indeed, independent. Fifty-one years later, in 1973, our nation joined the EEC. I can remember campaigning for it. We joined to work in union with our friends and neighbours in fellow European countries. We had great hopes and the people welcomed it and voted for it.

However, since then, through various treaties, from Maastricht to Amsterdam, to Nice and to Lisbon, which we had to vote twice for - imagine, the first result was not accepted - we have seen much transfer of decision-making which originally rested with sovereign countries to the EU Commission and we have issues of concerns about militarisation and considerable privatisation.

I certainly have concerns, as have many people, with the way we handled the Covid pandemic and the fact that the Commission was discussing Covid passports, in 2012, 2013 and 2014, long before Covid reached our shores. I am concerned at the way that big pharma have been indemnified, the way that it was favoured and got favouritism, and the way people were locked down and imprisoned and the fear that was created. The narrative could not be questioned by anybody in any country. Goodness, we see that today in China and elsewhere. I have those concerns and I espouse them here to the President of the Commission today.

As I said, nation states such as ours seem to have handed over their sovereignty to the EU. The erosion of our sovereignty is greatly concerning to the citizens of Ireland. This loss of sovereignty is the reason that our fishing industry has been unceremoniously wiped out; sold out by our own Government. The latest scandal announced is that one third of our fishermen are being forced to decommission their boats permanently. It is shocking. I remember a thriving beet industry in Ireland, in my own county, in Tipperary, in Thurles, and most small farmers had beet. We lost our beet industry; also sold out. This loss of sovereignty is the reason our manufacturing, which took place in every town, village and hamlet in rural Ireland is now gone. Tá sé imithe. Small businesses thrived then but now it is difficult for small business. It is so cumbersome. Our officials and our Government come back from Europe stating it is a European diktat but I do not know did they even question it. Sometimes, we have not even applied for funds to support some of our ailing and struggling businesses. That is the fact of the matter. People are aghast at this because ní neart go cur le chéile is important to the Irish, as is the sense of meitheal, but it has not been there. This loss of sovereignty is the reason the Government tells farmers that they must reduce their herd size while at the same time the EU, which Dr. von der Leyen leads, wants to import more beef from Brazil and elsewhere. It is an act of madness. It is disquieting. It is unfair and it is downright wrong to our farmers. Farming is such an important part of our country and sustained us through several recessions.

This loss of sovereignty is the reason we were forced to bail out the euro currency, paying the debts of privately-owned banks and financial speculators. In fact, we paid 42% of the total European banking costs, costing €9,000 to every fear, bean agus duine óg. Every man, woman and child had to pay, will pay and is paying.All these bankers and investors, who may have been from President von der Leyen's own country, had bonds and insurance but we were made the patsy to pay them and our Government here voted for it. I voted for it and it was the biggest political mistake I ever made in my life. Did I vote for the bailout? No, I did not. The IMF gave us money at less than 3% and our so-called friends in Europe charged us 6% interest on the money. This is some friendship we voted for.

What is the end goal of the European Union in terms of member states' sovereignty? I ask this in all sincerity. Will President von der Leyen as President of the European Commission guarantee today to the Irish people that Ireland will remain the free and sovereign country our ancestors fought so bravely to achieve? I come from Tipperary, the land of Breen, Treacy, Robinson and Dinny Lacey who gave their lives. Liam Lynch, a Limerick man, was shot in the adjoining parish to mine. We commemorate these people with pride. Here we are undermining daily what they fought for. I do not know if President von der Leyen knew of Thomas Davis. She quoted the late John Hume, and rightly so. He was a wonderful European and Irish man. Thomas Davis was a man who championed Irish sovereignty. He wrote a famous song in which he expressed the hope that Ireland long a province be a nation once again. The words have inspired many generations of Irish people, young and old. Does the EU want to make our nation a province once again? I ask this in all sincerity.

President von der Leyen spoke about climate change and just transition. There is no just transition for people who have been forced to shut down their industries. They are not allowed to keep heat and warmth. President von der Leyen mentioned we are a beacon of light. Yes we were and are, but the candle and flame have been quenched in many homes and houses. We have homeless people and a situation with our healthcare. We have welcomed many Ukrainians from the horrible war. We have limits as to what we can do with regard to migration from all other countries. Some countries in Europe have ceased and put a pause on it. We have to cut our cloth according to our measure. This is Ireland of a thousand welcomes, of course, and President von der Leyen is welcome today, but we need to be respected for who we are, what our are people are and our sovereignty.