Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)

I thank the Minister for coming in to debate this. I have serious concerns regarding the motions. The second motion asks the House to endorse a framework that has not yet been defined. We are effectively being asked to give consent for funding mechanisms that will only be agreed later for the 2028 to 2034 budget cycle. The Government is essentially asking us to vote blindly. EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner has stated that all EU states are under pressure from current migration demands, but there are 12 countries considered high risk due to the large number of arrivals and continuing tensions over the accommodation being provided. Ireland is one of those 12 countries. In 2026, asylum seekers in Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus will be relocated to other EU states. Poland, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia are refusing to take in asylum seekers or contribute financially. If various members states receive exemptions, will the burden fall to us and other states to pick up the slack? Where is the Government's backbone on this? I was shocked that the EU migration Commissioner praised Citywest as an example of best practice. That is so disconnected from reality. To describe housing over 1,000 people in a hotel as best practice is troubling. It sets a dangerously low bar for standards and casts doubt on the assurances we are being given about the EU migration pact.

The first motion seeking Ireland's opt-in to the internal security fund is an alignment with the White Paper for European defence. There is a worrying shift towards increased militarisation across Europe. The Government may deny it, but Ursula von der Leyen has been clear in her objective to see a unified European military. She has previously said that her aim is to become the united states of Europe. Where would our sovereignty be then? Many asylum seekers are arriving into Europe because of global conflicts that are driving displacement. Our priority should be tackling this instability and corrupt governments at source, not funding increased militarisation and warmongering.