What Billy spoke about.

13 Mar

2025

EN Speech

Action Plan for Affordable Energy (debate)

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Mr President, I welcome the publication of the Action Plan for Affordable Energy. Of course, affordable energy and energy in the context of security is vital for the development of the European economy, to give certainty in terms of investment, but equally – and importantly – we have to address a very fundamental issue around our competitiveness, the cost to businesses and the cost to families and…

12 Mar

2025

EN Speech

European Semester (joint debate)

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Mr President, I welcome the debate. I suppose sitting in the centre of this Chamber and listening to the ideological debates from the left and the right probably points out that I'm sitting in the right place. We are obliged to put in place a sustainable financial and monetary policy in Member States and across the European Union, if we are to preserve, first and foremost, the integrity of the Eur…

11 Mar

2025

EN Speech

Clean Industrial Deal (debate)

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Madam President, I welcome the publication of the EU Clean Industrial Deal. Just to say at the outset: I want to wish you well, Commissioner, in this particular endeavour. It is critically important that we do use decarbonisation as a growth pathway to ensure that Europe becomes competitive. But there is just one specific area I want to hone in on, and that is the issue of sustainable aviation fue…

11 Mar

2025

EN Answer

European Council meetings and European security (joint debate)

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Well, we have been very supportive of Ukraine's application to join the European Union and it has happened over many, many years. In fact, in recent times we have supported them financially. They have been supported militarily. And of course, you are promoting the propaganda from Russia and elsewhere saying quite clearly that the European Union does not support. But if you look at it, and if you l…

11 Mar

2025

EN Speech

European Council meetings and European security (joint debate)

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Madam President, the EU is a beacon of hope for millions of people across the globe. It's why Ukrainians broke down in tears when they crossed into our Union after Putin's immoral invasion of their country. And it's why migrants do everything to get here, to live and raise their families. And that's why Putin and other tinpot dictators despise us. We give people hope, while they only give people f…

10 Mar

2025

EN Speech

Cutting red tape and simplifying business in the EU: the first Omnibus proposals (debate)

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Madam President, when I met business owners throughout the campaign, without fail, they would raise their concerns about the burdens of regulation and compliance, and when I continue to meet them, they still raise it. Regardless of whether it is a local high street business, a family farm or even a large multinational, they all felt the heavy weight of compliance and felt stifled because of it. Fi…

12 Feb

2025

EN Speech

Collaboration between conservatives and far right as a threat for competitiveness in the EU (topical debate)

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Mr President, the single market is our strength; free movement of people, goods and services underpinned by the rule of law. The solution to our problems actually here is in front of us; it is to come to the centre and support Renew policies in ensuring we remain competitive and build our competitiveness. The idea that we would listen to the extreme left or the extreme right will just sew divisive…

12 Feb

2025

EN Speech

Commission Work Programme 2025 (debate)

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Madam President, 'we have reached the point where, without action, we will have to either compromise our welfare, our environment or our freedom'. They were the words of Mario Draghi when he published his 400-page document on revitalising Europe. Firstly, I want to thank you, Mr Šefčovič, for at least living up to the commitment of the Commission to publish their first 100-day plan in office, and …

11 Feb

2025

EN Speech

Protecting the system of international justice and its institutions, in particular the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice (debate)

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Madam President, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice and international law are not optional extras, and unfortunately, in this Chamber and in the Council and in the Commission, we have for a period of time been turning a blind eye to the fact that we obviously regularly ignore the will of the international courts. Not only do we not support their workings: we do…

11 Feb

2025

EN Speech

Wider comprehensive EU-Middle East Strategy (debate)

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Mr President, we're talking about a comprehensive EU Middle East strategy. Well, first and foremost, we must have a strategy around the issue of Israel and Palestine, and today the European Union simply does not have a strategy. It has been dishonest in its approach: it says on the one hand that it supports a two-state solution. Yet, over the last number of days since President Trump announced tha…

11 Feb

2025

EN Speech

Preparedness for a new trade era: multilateral cooperation or tariffs (debate)

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Madam President, a very important debate here today in the Chamber. Certainly, we don't want a situation where we make decisions on ideological views about whether we like President Trump or dislike him. But we must do it strategically. And obviously, Europe has to stand firm in the potential threats of tariffs and tax changes. But from our perspective, we have to ensure that whatever tariffs we p…

23 Jan

2025

EN Speech

Combating Desertification: 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention (debate)

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Mr President, as I stand here, my home country of Ireland is preparing to be battered by one of the strongest storms in decades. And if you look at the weather forecasts across Europe, there's rain in many areas. So it's a concept that is very hard to understand when we sometimes speak about desertification. But, in reality, the scale of this problem – the desertification – should be everyone's co…

21 Jan

2025

EN Speech

Geopolitical and economic implications for the transatlantic relations under the new Trump administration (debate)

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Mr President, the Trump presidency will be disruptive and will be unpredictable in the areas of tax, trade and security, so we need to accept that and deal with it. We need to maintain dialogue. There is no point in us being ideologically opposed to the fact that the American people have elected Donald Trump as their president. Both on the left and the right, we need to temper our language to ensu…

20 Jan

2025

EN Speech

Ceasefire in Gaza - the urgent need to release the hostages, to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to pave the way for a two-state solution (debate)

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Mr President, after the barbarity of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent invasion of Gaza and the brutality of Israeli attacks on civilians right across Gaza, this ceasefire is welcome – very welcome, but very late. 42 000 people dead and hostages detained in underground cellars across Gaza. We need the hostages out and we need humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately. We need international oversight …

19 Dec

2024

EN Speech

Recommendation to the Council on the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women - EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (joint debate - EU priorities for the upcoming session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women)

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Mr President, colleagues, in the last six months we have had local and European elections and, most recently, national parliamentary elections in Ireland. As a candidate, I get my fair share of abuse online. However, it pales into comparison to the level of vitriol and hate directed at female candidates from all political parties and none. For too many people, mainly men, they see female candidate…

19 Dec

2024

EN Speech

Need to update the European strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities (debate)

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Madam President, I wish the Commissioner well in her new role. Delighted to take part in this debate, and it is a very timely discussion. We need to update this strategy to reflect the realities of the modern age, and in particular concerning employment. We need to empower people with disabilities to secure gainful and meaningful employment. Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons…

17 Dec

2024

EN Speech

Misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms, such as TikTok, and related risks to the integrity of elections in Europe (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, the EU and its democracy is under attack. It is under attack from nefarious third countries who simply do not like our way of life and the values that we cherish here: the rule of law, democracy, equality, media and judicial independence. And it is being facilitated by social media platforms who wilfully allow the spread of misinformation and disinformation. We saw firsth…

27 Nov

2024

EN Speech

Presentation by the President-elect of the Commission of the College of Commissioners and its programme (debate)

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Madam President, I want to wish the individual Commissioners success personally, and I hope that the Commission collectively will have success into the future. We have significant challenges geopolitically, economically and in the areas of competitiveness. President, you referenced the issue of increasing our spending in innovation and research, decarbonising our economy and supporting the Green D…

26 Nov

2024

EN Speech

The Autumn 2024 Economic Forecast: a gradual rebound in an adverse environment (debate)

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Madam President, the autumn economic forecast for the EU seems cautiously optimistic. After prolonged stagnation, we are returning to very modest growth. Inflation is still decreasing and should continue to ease. The labour market is holding up and employment is expected to continue to grow. But the current geopolitical landscape means there are strong winds against us. We face a triple threat of …

26 Nov

2024

EN Speech

Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia (debate)

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Madam President, Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was not just about some regional conflict. It was about crushing an entire nation whose hopes and aspirations were to join the European Union, to embrace Western values and democracy. This House has been supportive, but not every political grouping in this House has been supportive of Ukraine. We saw more recently the shameful conduct …

25 Nov

2024

EN Speech

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (debate)

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Mr President, in the EU alone, almost 2 500 women are killed each year by their partners, and 1 in 3 women suffer physical or sexual violence during their lifetime – our mothers, sisters and daughters. We want laws that protect our women and girls, and we want laws that punish perpetrators. And it should start in here. Of course, we have wild hyaena cheers from the right from time to time, you kno…

13 Nov

2024

EN Speech

EU-US relations in light of the outcome of the US presidential elections (debate)

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Madam President, EU‑US relations will change with a Trump victory and entering the White House and also control of Congress. But we should not react in an emotional or irrational way to a democratic process. We have to acknowledge what has happened in the United States and deal with it accordingly. Our transatlantic alliance is a very old alliance. US troops have twice come to this continent to li…

24 Oct

2024

EN Speech

Protecting our oceans: persistent threats to marine protected areas in the EU and benefits for coastal communities (debate)

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Madam President, this is a very important topic for a number of reasons, and for a large number of communities in our Union. As an MEP for an island nation, I'm acutely aware of the importance of our oceans, seas and coasts to sustain an abundance of life and communities, both socially and economically. As such, today's debate on protecting our oceans, persistent threats to marine protected areas …

24 Oct

2024

EN Speech

Closing the EU skills gap: supporting people in the digital and green transitions to ensure inclusive growth and competitiveness in line with the Draghi report (debate)

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Mr President, the Draghi report makes very sober reading for us in the European Union with regard to the challenges that we face in the digital economy and in the green economy in particular. Also, when you couple that with the demographic changes that are happening and the fact that we are an ageing population, our skills and labour force planning leaves a lot to be desired. What has happened now…

22 Oct

2024

EN Speech

Urgent need for a ceasefire in Lebanon and for safeguarding the UNIFIL mission in light of the recent attacks (debate)

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Madam President, at this very moment, Israeli Defense Forces personnel are actively putting the lives of UNIFIL peacekeepers at risk in south Lebanon with their deliberate actions. Soldiers from 16 EU Member States form part of UNIFIL, with my own country contributing just under 400 troops at present. Members of Óglaigh na hÉireann have served continuously since 1978 in UNIFIL and, sadly, 48 of ou…