Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

I add my voice of welcome to Deputy Cahill and his guests from beautiful Kerry. I was lucky to be there about three weeks ago when I enjoyed an all-too-short visit.

I am thankful that this debate has been tabled. It is great to have the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs in the Chamber. It is a privilege to be able to address this matter on behalf of Fianna Fáil. As today is Poetry Day Ireland, I thought I would try to find a verse or stanza that could reflect Europe. I thought the one I found was really nice:

May's gentle light, a union’s bond,

Old cities sing a hopeful song.

From distant hills to vibrant streets,

A continent where history meets.

[...]

On this day, we stand, we stay,

Together as Europe, every May.

I followed the Minister of State's visit to Kyiv with interest. He spoke about the hope he felt there. I met some MEPs through the Council of Europe whose hope is very strong. One of them will visit Ireland in two weeks' time when I will meet her. I understand there is vibrancy and resilience there. The poem reminded me of that. There is no doubt that Europe Day is a particularly special day for Fianna Fáil because it was a Fianna Fáil Government that led Ireland into Europe in 1973. That was the culmination of a long campaign over ten years. There is no doubt that joining the European Communities was a transformational moment in the history of this country. It is fair to say that, over the last 52 years, Ireland has made remarkable progress but it has also contributed a lot to the development of our modern European Union.

We should be proud of all that has been achieved and look forward to the next 52 years but, sadly, this year we again mark Europe Day with war on the Continent. I refer to the savage and criminal aggression of Russia against Ukraine and its people. It is basically a war against the idea that the peoples of Europe should be able to live in free democracies. My party, Fianna Fáil, and our country, Ireland, stand with Ukraine and fully support its application for EU membership, as the Minister of State has pointed out. All of us are proud to be part of a Union in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality are valued, nurtured and never taken for granted. I am really glad to see the Minister of State in his role because I know that when Ireland held the Presidency of the Council of Europe he also held this office and played an inspirational and visionary role within the Council of Europe among all 47 countries. His many visits to Strasbourg and around Europe reflected that. He and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade have a collective responsibility to explore effective means to promote unity, understanding and lasting peace among nations at a very difficult time.

The Minister of State mentioned John Hume in his speech. Of course, John spent 25 years as an MEP. He was an incredible advocate for peace and human rights. In 1998, when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, he recalled his frequent walks in Strasbourg across the bridge between France and Germany into Kehl. He marvelled at this symbol. This small bridge between two countries is very simple but very profound. It is so applicable to conflict resolution anywhere in the world. In that address, he also spoke about how all conflict is ultimately about difference. He said that difference should not be seen as a threat but recognised as the essence of humanity. The answer to difference is to respect it and to work with it. John was seldom wrong but in this he was never more right. We need to respect difference, understand it and find common ground. That is the key to good relations across the European Union. In times of conflict and division, cultural diplomacy can be a powerful tool for building those bridges and fostering reconciliation while celebrating the rich diversity that all of our countries bring uniquely and equally and promoting mutual respect.

The past five decades have seen Ireland's emergence as a modern open economy and society. That has been shaped by close reciprocal co-operation with our European partners. We have certainly come a long way in promoting human rights and dignity. We have seen slippage in some countries, however. It is concerning to see LGBT rights not being respected in Hungary, something that is also emerging in some other countries. Many European countries do not have marriage equality. That is very concerning. If we want to work towards a unified Europe while respecting diversity, we all have to work very hard towards ensuring the values of respect and equality. Ireland's place in Europe is hugely important. There is growing turbulence in the world and real threats to institutions that are fundamentally important to Ireland. The core priority, and I know it is the Minister of State's priority, is to protect and strengthen Ireland's position within the EU and in wider international forums. It is good to see Irish people at a high level in many of the European institutions. As a fundamental part of this, we must protect the trade that is vital to our economy and the institutions that are vital in promoting our values. The Minister of State and this House will join with others in trying to strengthen the EU, to complete essential economic reforms within the Union and to insist on the democratic values we want to see across Europe and the world. The Minister of State and his ministerial colleagues do not have an easy job in accelerating the opening of new markets and expanding the opportunities for Irish companies to prosper through trade. I know the Minister of State is keen to emphasise the importance of trade to our international diplomacy.

It is important that we say a few words about our diplomatic staff throughout Europe and the world. In my time as head of delegation to the Council of Europe, I was very taken with the ambassadors I met, not just in Strasbourg but in other EU member states. Many of those who take these positions make personal sacrifices in doing so. Moving families from country to country is certainly not easy. The professionalism and respect in which Irish ambassadors and their teams are held are extremely high. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for that.

The upcoming EU Presidency in 2026 will be an important time. It is good that Ireland is assuming the Presidency at that time. As we know, this has become an established practice among EU member states. I remember well before I became a Member of this House being excited on seeing on television that Ireland was hosting the Presidency. Maybe we could have a debate next year on the preparations and see how the Seanad could play a role in that regard.

I thank the Minister of State for being here. We wish him and all of our colleagues working in Europe well in promoting the values that we see as important and also promoting trade opportunities.