Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I greatly respect this House and I recognise that we probably get a higher level of deliberation and reflection on legislation here. That has been seen before on many Bills that have come before the Seanad. I will listen and take into account everything that is said by Senators. I respect the mandate they have and the constitutional position of this House. If Members feel that I am not complying with that commitment or deviating in some way from it, I know and hope they will tell me so.

The reason I am here is that I am seeking the permission and the vote of Seanad Éireann to allow Ireland to opt in to an EU decision that was made and finalised last December. I refer to an EU decision that permits the EU to commence negotiations with the United Kingdom in respect of the establishment of what is referred to as a youth experience scheme. I am not asking for the approval of this House today to vote in favour of that scheme. All I ask is that the Seanad give Ireland the permission to become party to those negotiations between the EU and the UK.

I ask Senators to allow me to do that because the decision that was finalised by the European Union last December comes under the freedom, security and justice section of the Union. For that reason, Ireland is required to opt in to it. It is what is referred to as an opportunity for us to use our Protocol 21 of the Treaty of the European Union to opt in to a particular aspect of the Union's work. This is something we should most certainly opt in to. I do not think there are any downsides to us doing so, but there are very considerable downsides if we do not.

All Members of this House are probably aware of the purpose of the youth experience scheme, which arises from the consequences of Brexit. It is hoped that if this scheme is put in place and there is agreement between the UK and the EU, it will mean that young people between the ages of 18 and 30 will be able to travel between European Union countries and the UK in order to study and work or to engage in cultural experiences. It is something that many people in this House will have experienced when they were growing up, in that they went abroad to other countries to work. We will all agree that it is an invaluable experience. It is a great opportunity for young people to experience other cultures and see the differences and diversity in other countries. It is part of the educational and development prospects that people have in those important years of their lives.

We in Ireland are in the fortunate position of having the common travel area, which means Irish citizens are permitted to travel to the UK to engage in all of the activities I have spoken about, be they cultural, for work or for the purposes of other student experiences. However, since Brexit people from other EU countries no longer have the opportunity to travel to the UK to experience all the great things that exist in the UK. Similarly - I am sure we all know this from our friends in Britain - younger people in Britain do not have the opportunity to go to EU countries in the same way as they did prior to Brexit under Erasmus schemes or co-operation schemes between two countries.

There is a real benefit, even though it may not benefit us directly, in us trying to encourage this agreement. It is to the benefit of people in European Union countries and of people in the UK. We should encourage it and be seen to encourage it.

What is the rationale for Ireland opting in to the process? One of the main reasons we should opt in is that the common travel area is a very important aspect of our relationship with the United Kingdom. Sometimes it is forgotten, but the common travel area only benefits citizens. It is for the benefit of UK citizens and Irish citizens. It allows us to move to and fro. It is important that we are a party to the EU negotiations with the UK so that there is no doubt or uncertainty about the importance of the common travel area. We do not want to find an agreement being put in place between the UK and the EU that does not recognise the common travel area or that undermines it in some respect. That is the first reason we need to be party to these negotiations.

Second, it is extremely important for us that there is a stronger relationship between the UK and the EU than the one that exists at present. Regrettably - I am not going to get into the rights or wrongs of Brexit - one point on which there is no ambiguity is that Brexit damaged the relationship that existed between the United Kingdom Government and governments within the European Union. As a country that has a very close relationship with the UK and European Union countries, we need to play a role in trying to ensure we can bring that relationship closer and improve it as well.

Senators will be well aware that this issue is not going to be very contentious in this House. When I debated it in the Dáil, all parties and speakers were in favour of it. Where it is likely that there will be some political contention and dispute - if there is an agreement or in the making of the agreement - is within the United Kingdom.As we aware, the free movement of people has become a politically tense issue in the UK. There is concern that when this issue comes to be discussed that the merits of it - namely, the ability of young people to experience different cultures - will be lost behind the debate on the free movement of individuals.

It is important to emphasise that if this scheme is approved and there is an agreement between the UK and EU, it does not provide for free movement. It is not a situation where people can move from EU countries to the UK to commence work and to stay there. As Senators will be aware, when they look at the proposal for the scheme, that it is clearly designed to be of benefit to people aged between 18 and 30 and to be what is referred to as a "youth experience scheme".

It is interesting that during Dáil debate, I was notified that this scheme was originally referred to as the "youth migration scheme". Significant concerns were expressed in the UK and the name was changed to the "youth experience scheme". Notwithstanding that - and I know it is a matter for the UK Government in how it proposes to deal with this - it is very much in our interests to opt into it.

There has been a significant improvement in relations between Ireland and the UK in recent years. I do not want to get involved in British politics but certainly Prime Minister Starmer seems to be very keen to improve relationships, not just with Ireland but also with other EU countries. We can recognise in this House the difficulty he may have and it is important we try to facilitate the British Government gaining closer arrangements with the European Union in general and European Union member states in particular.

One of the consequences of Brexit is that opportunities we and European Union countries have had to engage with the UK have been lost. They are a big loss to us. I am sure Senator McDowell will agree on this. I recently attended my first meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Warsaw and when issues such as harmonisation of the admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings were discussed, it would have been of great benefit to have a representative of the British Government there. Alas, that was not to be. In this country, we do have an obligation, however, to do what we can to improve relations between the EU and UK and agreeing to allow Ireland to opt into this negotiation would be part of that.