Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

Robert Schuman laid the foundations of a Europe built not on war but on cooperation and multilateralism. His vision was clear, that by sharing resources nations could ensure peace and prosperity for generations, which I acknowledge has been said by the Minister of State already.On Europe Day, while we celebrate the values of peace, unity and democracy that underpin the European Union, we must also confront the challenges threatening these very foundations. In countries such as Hungary, we see a worrying drift towards authoritarianism. Curbs on media freedom, judicial independence and civil society have raised alarms about the erosion of democratic norms within the Union itself.

At the same time, the EU's complete inaction on Gaza, where humanitarian catastrophe continues with little meaningful intervention, stands in stark contrast to the professed commitments to human rights. The EU has failed to respond to the situation in Gaza in any meaningful way, and it is, quite frankly, a dark blot on the EU's history.

The illegal invasion of Ukraine is the largest attack on a European state since the Second World War. There is an absence of a robust European-led peace initiative, which I find troubling. Europe must find its voice not just to defend democracy but to champion peace and justice on a global scale and to support Ukraine most critically in a just peace agreement which does not see Ukraine undermined. I highlight that. A peace agreement has to be an equal agreement on both sides.

The EU has been drifting towards militarisation, and this military expansion is increasing with rapid speed and is very much at odds with the spirit of diplomacy and peace that I have already spoken about and that the Union was built on. Security is vital - European security is vital and Ireland's security is vital - but it must never eclipse our commitment to peace.

The term "security dilemma" was first coined by German scholar John Herz in the 1950s. The security dilemma states that when a state or an entity such as the European Union increases its military strength, other states will do the same. They will increase their security and military power. The action of increasing militarisation by one side leads the other side to reciprocate, and this ultimately leads to escalation and conflict. It was early in the 1950s that this was understood, that militarisation creates reciprocal responses, which increases the likelihood of conflict and war. It is therefore cyclical. If we militarise, it will lead us to war.

Previous generations of Europeans understood the horrors of war, and I think that horror is something new generations of Europeans do not understand in the same way. It is in our history and it is an intergenerational trauma but it is not a lived experience. I believe that because people have not lived through the scourge of war themselves, that is rippling in how we perceive war in modern society. I truly believe the move towards an EU army would be a significant and stark escalation towards international conflict. Therefore, for Europe Day, I ask why the Irish Government is not pushing the European Union away from militarisation and towards funding more peace initiatives. If you fund more peace, you get greater peace. There is a direct correlation between increased military spending and increased war. I am a former EU diplomat so I fundamentally believe in the European project. I believe we are stronger together and I believe in multilateralism. That does not mean, however, the Irish Government needs to go along with every EU initiative without asking questions and without reflecting the interests of the Irish people. The Minister of State said Ireland has an amplified voice in Europe. We are an important country in Europe. We have political sway and influence. Why then does the Government seem to systematically acquiesce in everything the EU suggests when it is not necessarily in line with the opinion in Ireland?

This is true when it comes to the question of the EU's radical push towards militarisation, but it is also true for things like the Mercosur deal, which will lead to an existential crisis for Irish farmers. It will put Irish farmers and the agricultural industry, their very livelihoods, at risk. The Mercosur deal is not just an economic deal; it challenges the very way of life and part of the fabric of Irish rural society. As we oppose militarisation, we must also oppose policies that fail to strengthen the sustainability and livelihoods of farmers. Further, these deals risk harming economies and fostering inequality. We need to support a multilateral approach to ensure equitable agreements for countries within the EU when we come into these trade agreements, an approach that underscores environmental protections.

We should not lose sight of why Europe was created around those concepts of dialogue and multilateralism. They will always win over division. Now more than ever, we need a Europe that is focused on peace and justice, not militarism, a Europe that reaches out and leads by example. On the 70-year anniversary of European unity, I want us to renew that founding promise, not just to defend Europe but to define it as a force for peace, inclusivity and shared humanity.

While I have a minute left, I feel I need to respond a little to Senator Ahearn's inputs, he will probably be unsurprised to know. If we were to join EU battle groups and an EU army, and that is what is happening-----