Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her appointment. It is well deserved and I look forward to working with her in the term ahead. I also welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I wish to fully support this motion seeking to open negotiations for an EU-UK agreement on a youth experience scheme.

While Brexit has done untold damage to the future of young people across the UK, this proposed scheme is a crucial opportunity to strengthen the ties between young people in Europe and the UK, creating new pathways for cultural exchange, education and employment. While we in Ireland have fortunately benefitted from the common travel area with the UK, in a post-Brexit world, the same cannot be said for the rest of the EU. This proposed scheme provides an innovative way to deal with the mobility barriers which currently exist for young people in the UK and the rest of Europe, respectively.This proposal has conditions, as the Minister has outlined, in that it applies to people between the ages and 18 to 30 and allows them to work, live or go to college in their destination country for up to three years. It also allows grounds for refusal of entry. I understand the proposal would not replicate the freedom-of-movement principle that existed before Brexit, and that it would also be on a without-prejudice basis in respect of our common travel area.

As a country with a unique relationship with both the UK and the EU, Ireland has a responsibility, and an opportunity, to ensure young people do not lose access to the benefits of mobility and exchange.A structured youth mobility scheme such as the one under discussion would allow young people to study in world-class institutions, access new job markets and develop skills that will benefit their own economies in the long term. At a time when global challenges demand international co-operation, this initiative would to help foster understanding and shared progress between the UK and the EU.

Opting into these negotiations reinforces Ireland's position as a bridge between the EU and the UK. It shows our commitment to keeping strong connections despite political shifts and ensures young people remain at the heart of our relationship with Britain and the EU. This is about shaping a future in which young people can thrive in a more connected and dynamic Europe.

By supporting this initiative, we are investing in our future leaders and entrepreneurs. We are ensuring that the next generation has the same opportunities that previous generations enjoyed. I strongly believe that opening negotiations on the implementation of this scheme are a step in the right direction, and it is important that we support it.