Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Senator Byrne on her election to the job of Leas-Chathaoirleach. I hope she enjoys it. It is well deserved.

I particularly want to thank the Minister. We know each other for a long time and I know his extended family for a long time. It is great to see him in the chair as Minister for justice and home affairs. Clearly, he has vast experience and knowledge. It is great that we have someone from Dublin in the role, particularly given the enormous challenges in our city. We have challenges everywhere but enormous ones in Dublin. I genuinely wish the Minister well and know he will do an excellent job.

Today the motion before the Seanad is on whether it approves "authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on a Youth Experience Scheme", a copy of which was laid before the Seanad on 10 February 2025. I have taken the time to consider it and also to examine the debate on it in the Dáil. I very much hear what the Minister is saying, which is that there was clearly no dissension among the four or five speakers. That is all there were. However, it is worth pointing out some of the background to this issue. Therefore, I took the time to examine the library reports in Westminster and see some of the debate on the other side of the water on this matter. I want to share some of the points with Senators today because we need to be conscious of them.

Like Senator Clifford-Lee, I have been sitting as a member of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly. We have a very strong, respectful working relationship with all its members. From that, you learn about other experiences and other dimensions of the North–South arrangements and those concerning Great Britain. I refer to the whole relationship, which is fundamentally important to both Britain and Ireland.

The European Commission formally proposed that the EU seek to negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the United kingdom in April 2024. The Commission had proposed to the EU Council that negotiations be opened with the UK on engagement to facilitate a youth mobility scheme. Such an agreement would make it easier for EU and UK citizens to study, work and live in the UK and the EU, respectively. The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the two. That is a fact. It has particularly affected the opportunities of young people who want to experience life on the other side of the channel and to benefit from youth culture, education, research and training exchanges. The proposal seeks to address, in an innovative way, the main barriers to mobility young people experience today and create the right of young people to travel more easily from the EU to the UK, and vice versa, and for a longer period, subject, of course, to conditions.

The European Commission proposal was rejected by the then Conservative government. Mr. Sunak rejected the offer of a youth mobility scheme between the EU and UK, for a number of reasons. The UK Labour Party, then in opposition, also turned down the European Commission's proposals, which would have allowed young Britons to live, study and work in the EU. The UK Labour Party said the youth mobility schemes were synonymous with "the freedom of movement". The now Labour Government has reiterated that it has no plans for a youth mobility scheme with the EU and will not return to UK–EU freedom of movement.

Reports at the end of 2024 indicated the EU was seeking to refine the proposal as a youth experience scheme, as the Minister touched on, or a cultural exchange programme. When you delve into that, another series of questions emerges. In evidence to the House of Lords European Affairs Committee in December 2024, just three months ago, the UK Minister for EU relations, Nick Thomas–Symonds, said it was up to the EU to finalise any proposals it wanted to place on the table, and that the UK's response would depend precisely on what was meant by an EU youth mobility scheme.Progress will require a mindset that focuses on how to improve relationships, not on re-fighting the old Brexit battles. For many in Westminster, the language of free movement seems to present major problems and is exceptionally sensitive. It is important that the Minister touched on that point.

I looked at a statement that was issued when the Tánaiste was Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and that is on the Government website. The Minister spoke about finalising arrangements with Northern Ireland in terms of the education institutions. He said that during the UK withdrawal from the EU, the loss of access to the EU’s Erasmus+ education programme was highlighted by civic society as a major concern for current and potential students and staff of higher education institutions in Northern Ireland. The Government rightly agreed to put arrangements in place to maintain access for Northern Irish education students to mobility across Europe. This fund fulfils that commitment so long as the fund is in place. Therefore, and particularly closer to home, we need to look at the funding that facilitates the movement of our people on both sides of this island. While the funding was directed to mobility access to Europe, we should not lose sight of the fact there is a major North-South dimension given that more than 20% of those taking part in Ireland now seek internships and similar placements in financial services and the IFSC, with which the Minister will be familiar.

Some people in the UK are trying to make the case for bilateral deals but that is not European solidarity in its best form. We cannot permit, support or agree with the picking off of various member states for different deals. However, looking at the reports and debates in Westminster, it is clear that is an option the British Government wants to pursue. Pursuing an agenda of individual deals with one member state against another at any time is unacceptable, as far as I am concerned. EU solidarity, equal treatment and the equal opportunities of all member states are key to cohesion and something that we must fight hard for in any negotiations. EU member states need to maintain a united front in all talks with the British Government. The British Government might not be interested in an equal deal with each member state, hence its argument on the option of bilateral deals and bilateral options. We need to firmly rule them out.

I support the motion and I support the work of the Minister. As he said clearly, this is just to enter into negotiations. I thank him for coming to the House and for recognising the importance of both the Dáil and Seanad in these matters. I ask that he would keep us informed on a regular basis as this matter progresses.