Speeches

Madam President, thank you to all the contributors this afternoon. I was delighted to hear, Commissioner, you talk about the 46 % of the Just Transition Fund contractors and the EUR 12 billion gone out to projects. But of course, as you have heard from our colleagues today, if we had greater simplification, a more straightforward system of applying and less red tape, I believe it would be much higher. And I think we need to focus on that in the future. Many of my colleagues have raised very fair points: there must be a social dimension to the heart of this policy, not just in housing but in other areas. We need that social dimension. We must, of course, include young people, and we must look out for them. Just transition cannot be left to Member States. This is a crucial part, Commissioner, going forward: we cannot just say, 'here is the fund, do what you wish with it.' I have seen firsthand what they do with it, Commissioner, it is not pretty. In my region, they closed the peat-burning power station down, but they were not ready to transition to renewables, so in the car park of this power station today, they burn diesel oil in a peaker plant. This is crazy. It is nuts. So we must ensure our Member States are ready for this. Similarly, they now propose to take down power stations in my community and they have no major renewable project lined up. Instead they say they will spend between EUR 10 and EUR 15 million taking away these power stations, and the workers who have lost their jobs read reports in the newspapers that companies in India and elsewhere will buy some of the materials and the equipment from the old power stations and bring them to India. This type of report drives the people in the community absolutely berserk. They say 'where is the sense in this? Where is the organisation?' That is why, Commissioner, we need the Commission to be essentially involved as we go forward, we need the Commission to take control of the Just Transition Fund and ensure it works for the people who lost their jobs.

Mr President, dear Commissioner Fitto, colleagues, we all share the same ambition. We want to see a Europe that delivers for our citizens in the changing world in which we find ourselves. However, we know that ambition alone will not really deliver results. That's why cohesion policy matters. That's why I'm proposing targeted measures to ensure it delivers for people whose lives have been upended by the transition away from carbon-intensive industry. It's about making sure we see social justice before transition. It's about ensuring that no region, no community and no worker is left behind. Colleagues, this is the core message of my report before you today. In this report, we highlight what many regions are experiencing – the green transition is not an abstract policy objective, but a daily reality for communities, families and businesses. The reality of this transition is clearly visible in my own region: in Lanesborough in County Longford, at the Bord Na Móna Mount Dillon works, hundreds of workers lost their jobs and their livelihoods when the local power station was shut down. This is very real. The same story has been repeated from Shannonbridge in County Offaly and right across Europe to Silesia in Poland, where I visited this year, and countless regions in between. Workers who have given decades of service have found themselves facing unemployment. If we fail to address these issues adequately, we risk deepening regional inequalities, Commissioner. That is why I am bringing forward these new policies to ensure that workers are treated fairly and properly supported in every step of the transition. No one should face redundancy without a clear plan for retraining and reskilling, because, colleagues, without their buy-in the transition will never succeed. That is why Just Transition as a fund plays an important role within cohesion. It is not about idealism, but about ensuring the plan and the change is achievable and fair. The Commission's mid-term review earlier this year recognised this reality by expanding the scope of the fund and ensuring that, under certain conditions, just transition projects are entitled to another year to spend funds. This is good. The Regional Development Committee of this Parliament has gone further, proposing practical reforms to make just transition work even better. So first and foremost, Commissioner, the Regional Development Committee has made a strong call for a Just Transition Fund II, with adequate resources and firmly based on shared management and partnership principles. As you will be aware, the proposal from the Commission on the future MFF did not contain any proposal for a second fund. Colleagues, in order to bring citizens with us, in order to ensure no one is actually left behind, we must send a clear and unequivocal message today. We need a second fund for just transition. We need it. Anything less is unacceptable. We must continue the work we have started. We have also put further forward a concrete proposal for the creation of special economic zones in the regions hardest hit by closures. Crucially, these zones will not be a quick fix. They will remain in place until such a time as the majority of jobs last locally are actually replaced in the local area. That is the key to this, Commissioner. I have long championed education and training at the heart of transition, and therefore I am particularly pleased and happy to say that we have made bold proposals for investment in apprenticeships and training within local areas. However, crucially, this must be tailored to the needs of the local economy. This report also advocates for multiple simplification methods, bringing forward the idea of social justice before transition and specifically acknowledging the plight of seasonal workers, such as peat harvesters, that have not had adequate alternative work options created; they have been left behind. We have called for the establishment of new social training programmes for older unemployed workers who are unable to retrain and acquire new jobs to ensure they are supported until retirement. So, in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to leave with one clear message: the future MFF proposal from the European Commission has been a wake-up call to us all. That future MFF proposal is no longer business as usual. Let's send a clear message from this House that we reject centralisation and stand up for our regions and communities by proposing a strengthened Just Transition Fund II, with simplified procedures, empowering local communities to chart a path not only towards a just transition, but towards a truly fair and just Europe. Commissioner, I give you this letter as I leave. This is the worker who says he is being left behind. He feels no options were provided after he lost his job. I hope you read it and you take his message to heart. This is real. This is a real person.

Mr President, dear colleagues, the scandal of defective concrete blocks in Ireland is not just about bricks and mortar and faulty EU regulation by the Irish Government. It's a clear and present danger to thousands of men, women and children living in County Donegal and in more than 20 other counties around Ireland. I witnessed a catastrophe unfolding myself before my own eyes when I visited these homes. Couples sleeping on couches in the only room of the house not destroyed by dampness and mould. Houses that are falling apart with cracked walls, unstable roofs, and families living in fear. Denise Grant and her family are trying to rebuild their family home in the depth of this trauma – the unrelenting crisis for them, and with continuous and never-ending stress. They told me about it. The Commission has launched an infringement procedure against Ireland and we patiently await its outcome. Commissioner Séjourné, get this sorted out. Get on with this, or lives will be lost – and I will hold you and the Irish Government responsible if that happens.

Madam President, Mr Commissioner, when we speak about the future of agriculture, some suggest only viable professional farmers should receive EU funding. But I cannot agree, because in 2023 only 27 % of Irish farmers met that definition. I say so because I reject that approach, because that's where I'm from. I'm from the centre of a country where arable farmland shares the landscape with peat land, which cannot be farmed. So part-time farmers are a part of the landscape, that is the way it is. We have both an opportunity and a responsibility to secure their future, because when my late brother farmed that land, he also prepared cattle for the factory, he also was part of the food chain, he played his part. The CAP budget must be stabilised. We must look at this issue of investment with the same urgency as we do with the EU defence budget. I say we must return to the core purpose of CAP: supporting sustainable food production for consumers. Food security also means generational renewal, and I know you will deliver on this, but I say it to you: new entrants and retiring farmers need strong, targeted incentives at both EU and national level, and I say specifically a CAP package for new entrants that includes at least the minimum, industrial wage so they will stay on the farm.

Madam President, Commissioner Lahbib, the people of Ireland will not forget what you did for them when Storm Éowyn hit our shores last January. Your emergency response mechanism sent 18 industrial generators to Ireland. The lights came back; the water came back. Our government will hopefully learn to trigger that mechanism earlier. Fortunately, we do not have widespread wildfires in Ireland, but the small coastal community of Achill in County Mayo certainly has an issue. In the last three years, they've had 12 wildfires, three of them so far this year. And indeed, their village was evacuated last year. They want to speak to you and to the Commission about a new policy, a strategy to deal with the situation – a national farm and land management strategy. They say their lives, their homes and their farming livelihoods and even the designated conservation areas are under threat. So, they want joined-up thinking, Commissioner. They want the Commission and the Irish Government to work together with all the agencies. They do not want a 'pass the box' – somebody saying, 'It is not my job to put up the signs, to speak to the tourists. It is not my job to speak to the farmers.' We ask for a joined-up approach, support the people of Achill in County Mayo.

Madam President, we're waiting for the final text of the unfair Mercosur agreement. In the wings of this building, there's talk among some countries of a side deal, a magical clause that will somehow pacify farmers in France or in Italy, and some Irish MEPs are looking for a get-out-of-jail free card of their own as well to try and save face and votes at home. But Irish farmers will see through this, Chair. No form of words or special accord will be accepted by our livestock farmers whose livelihood is threatened by those who use illegal drugs on their herd, and they're getting away with it. The job of Irish farmers is getting tougher – after months of diligent work on water quality aimed at retaining our Nitrates Directive comes yet another demand. An assessment under the Habitats Directive was never a part of this process up to now, it was never needed. Farmers need clarity. I'm calling on the Irish Agriculture Minister to engage with the Commissioner and seek clear, concise guidelines and stop this ridiculous charade that's going on before the Commission moves the goalposts again.

Madam President, High Representative Kallas, President van der Leyen must clarify her recent remarks to the Prime Minister of Israel. Specifically, what does she mean, the right to defend oneself? What are the boundaries of that right? Because what we're witnessing in Gaza is not self-defence. It's the deliberate starvation of women and children. It's the obstruction of humanitarian aid, food, water and medical supplies to an entire population. Even as the mother, as a former doctor, she knows what she's doing. This is the this is the result of her words. As Members of this Parliament, we cannot remain silent, ladies and gentlemen, we must take a stance. The European Union has a moral duty, not just a diplomatic option, to intervene for the sake of the people. We must demand unrestricted access for humanitarian aid, including food and medicine. We can do these things even outside of the Council. Mobilise EU resources immediately to assist relief efforts on the ground, and we must demand that Israel provide meaningful cooperation, not just rhetoric, to avoid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. History will judge how we respond to that this moment. Some people in this House should be ashamed of what they haven't done so far. We must not be found wanting.

Mr President, we're in a housing crisis, so we're told. In Ireland and in Europe we need simple, straightforward reforms. Currently, the credit union sector in Ireland have EUR 22 billion in assets, just EUR 7 billion in loans given out. They want to lend out more for housing and other things. But under current central Bank of Ireland rules, credit unions must hold 10 % of the value of any investment in Irish government bonds as a capital reserve. This is despite the fact that under EU banking regulations, government bonds are considered zero‑risk assets and require no such capital buffer. If our Irish regulations were to be aligned with EU norms and this reserve requirement were to be removed, credit unions could redirect billions into domestic investment. They would immediately free up EUR 1 billion for lending to families, small businesses, farmers and for building affordable homes. Imagine what it would do. People like Tom Allen in Mullingar, a credit union, could put young couples on the first rung of the ladder for houses for the first time, so we need to get our credit unions the tools they need to invest in their future and strengthen our communities. I appeal for reform here, reform this 10 % reserve rule and start that investment.

Madam President, Commissioner, I want to commend the rapporteur for the excellent work. As an Irish MEP representing a large rural constituency, this report highlights many of the structural challenges faced by these communities. However, one of the most pressing issues of our time for our rural communities is access to housing, Commissioner. Madam President, a key challenge in solving this rural housing crisis is addressing the lack of infrastructure. Without proper investment in water, broadband and transport links, even the most basic planning permission becomes unattainable. This has had a direct effect on young people who want to stay in our communities, but cannot because of infrastructure. Supporting this kind of generational continuity and ensuring we have adequate support through cohesion policy is essential, Commissioner, in keeping rural life. If reports are to be believed, one month from today the European Commission will come forward with the multiannual financial framework. This is a crucial time for our regions, Commissioner. If we do not act now, I fear for the viability in the future. Let's keep the money for regions, not for defence, Commissioner.

Madam President, consumers all over Europe are experiencing a significant and sustained surge in food prices. On 20 April this year, food-price inflation had risen by 4.9 % over just 12 weeks. This staggering rise is hitting households directly in their pockets. According to an Ernst and Young survey published in May, the average Irish household is now spending nearly EUR 2000 per month compared to 2021. That's an enormous burden on working families. Figures from the Central Statistics Office confirm a cumulative increase of 3.6 % for 12 consecutive months. Everything is going up, Commissioner, even the butter in our canteen outside has gone up by over 5 % since I joined this Parliament last year. We know that food inflation hits hardest those who least can afford it, the lower paid, the disadvantaged, so at European level we must be honest about this. We must look at all the key contributing factors to food inflation. We know energy costs and conflict can play a role, but part of the cost pressure is driven by the rush to implement climate targets in unrealistic timescales. Well intentioned they may be, but our aim must be to strike a balance between environmental responsibility and economic affordability. Food security and the cost of living cannot be sacrificed just in the name of idealism.

Madam President, the housing crisis is crippling thousands of families and young couples all over Europe and especially in Ireland. I went to the town of Naas in County Kildare, a town which had 5 000 people in 1971, now a car-based town with 30 000 people in housing estates, and another 4 500 waiting for homes. A town that's been forgotten. Planning is terrible. The demand is just incredible. I spoke to Angela Garrett. She has two children, one aged 32, who has autism, the other 28. They're still living at home. She tells me the average price of a family home in this town is half a million euro – five hundred thousand euro! It is out of control. And what does our government do in Ireland? We put in charge a man who's paid a salary of almost half a million euro in another job to come in to take over this job. We lack ideas. We lack strong thinking. We lack an ability to consider the people who are involved here, the people who are suffering because of the lack of a home. It is an absolute disgrace. We need, throughout Europe and in Ireland, to focus on real progress for families like these.

Mr President, I welcome this report and its well-rounded assessment of what cohesion funds and policy actually stand for today. I compliment the rapporteurs. The report makes it clear, however, that stark disparities remain among the EU's regions, especially in rural areas. And in this context, I support the report's call for the need to address these disparities and simplify access to the funds, Commissioner: simplification. As a rapporteur of Parliament's own-initiative report on the just transition, I am glad to see the report calling for the continuation of that process and ensuring its reinforced financial means for the post-2027 period. However, I'm less happy with the announcement in the mid-term review of the cohesion policy of what seems to be the exclusion of my country, Ireland, from the one-year extension of the current year transition fund? I don't understand it. We must seek adequate flexibility in the capacity for Member States, such as Ireland, to have full access to the extended timeline to provide extra time to spend their allocations. As an MEP, I know how vital cohesion policy is for the regions. As we prepare for the next programming period, let's ensure cohesion policy remains properly funded, simplified and accessible to all the regions.

Madam President, Commissioner, if Liberation Day is what they're calling the events in Washington this week, then surely today, here in Strasbourg, we should say it's D-Day for our European Commission to get its act together in readiness for the challenges that are undoubtedly ahead. While Donald Trump talks of tariffs, we must talk about cohesion policy that will drive investment, reduce regional disparities and ensure that no region is left behind, especially in face of what will be tougher trading conditions. As we review our current programmes, there are fears ahead, Commissioner, that some projects risk being jettisoned for those more politically expedient in the short term, and even more concerns about reallocating funds to other priorities, such as defence spending. Commissioner, we cannot and will not stand idly by if this is proposed. We must not dilute our cohesion policy at any time, and especially when we are facing potentially crippling tariffs from the US. We need a robust, future-proofed cohesion policy, not just an investment. It's a commitment to European solidarity. Solidarity that is short in supply at the moment. We must safeguard a strong and well-funded cohesion policy well beyond 2027.

Madam President, the Gaeltacht areas of Ireland are not only geographical regions, they are part of the island's heritage. They're the heart beating of the Irish language. As the author of the book says: Language is the heart of our life. Unfortunately, a mix of bad planning or no planning at all, combined with Airbnb-style corporate acquisitions, have seen an influx of non-Irish speakers coming in, causing a dramatic shift in the linguistic balance. If planning continues to be granted without restrictions and there is no positive discrimination towards Irish speakers, there is a real risk now of losing the Irish language forever in locations like Galway, Kerry and Donegal. Commissioner, our new European Parliament Special Committee on Housing must look at this. We need positive planning policies that favour the natives, and we must ensure young people with fluent Irish are not priced out of their communities. The Irish language has survived through war, famine and numerous waves of immigration. For it to finally die due to planning laws would be a tragedy.

Madam President, motorists all over Europe are being driven to disillusionment over the lack of consistency in the price being charged for insurance premiums. The European Community was established as a single market where strength in numbers across over 20 Member States, was supposed to mean a more competitive market for insurance and cheaper premiums for the over 400 million people who live here. But this has not materialised in my country. The price of car insurance continues to rise every year, especially for young drivers, like Patrick O'Reilly from Cornafean in County Cavan: a 19-year-old boy who could insure his 2020 Volkswagen Golf for EUR 1 212 in Belgium, yet is asked to pay a staggering EUR 4 679 in Ireland. Commissioner, this is nothing short of a rip-off and no amount of prevarication over injury claims or legal costs can excuse it. We need our new Consumer Commissioner, Michael McGrath, to be brave and to seize on this issue, challenge the main players in Europe and make the single market work for European consumers.

Mr President, Commissioner, declining birth rates and an increasing proportion of elderly citizens in society is now the norm across the European Union. The figures are stark. The EU population is set to peak next year, as you know. We will lose around 30 million people within the next 75 years. As an MEP representing a mainly rural constituency, I'm aware of the major challenges out there. An incredible example for you today, Commissioner, is the village of Moygownagh in rural County Mayo and Ireland. Writing in the Western People, Liam Heffron highlighted the plight of the Irish town where, on the 24 June 2024, Mitchell's shop, the public house, the post office, the farm supply business and hardware store all failed to open. Moygownagh alone has lost a staggering 90% of its people since 1841, with the tipping point of sustainability now being passed. Like many parts of rural Ireland, North Mayo is being stripped of its population. This is why we must see the full implementation of the EU Demography Toolbox. Measures such as mentioning cohesion funds are important. The long‑term vision for rural areas must be fully implemented. We in the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) want to get the cohesion funds to do this job. Please help us, Commissioner, to solve the problem.

Mr President, the challenges facing the road haulage sector on island nations like Ireland, setting out from one of the most peripheral regions to do business in Europe, are patently unfair. Irish companies such as Beirne Express Freight in Mayo send their trailers from our island to mainland Europe, but face immediate restrictions upon arrival overseas under EU cabotage laws, while mainland operators encounter these regulations only after their first loading or unloading. This disparity costs tens of thousands of euros. Rigid driving time regulations penalise those who experience small delays, forcing them to miss ferries and wait for hours for the next one. Drivers should have the flexibility to complete their journeys without unnecessary penalties. President, how can we speak about a single market when so many of our service providers are hampered from operating within it? Remember what the Draghi report stated? How can we speak about competition in the EU when we impose all these administrative burdens? I call on the EU institutions to work towards undoing the unbalanced treatment of the road haulage sector, not just in Ireland, but in other island nations such as Malta and Cyprus.

Mr President, at one of the busiest times of the year for consumers, I believe it's essential to tell the Commissioner here tonight that euro notes and coins must remain a viable option to purchase goods and pay for services across the EU. A 2022 survey conducted by the European Central Bank found that 59 % of consumers use cash at the point of sale. In the same survey, 60 % of respondents expressed their preference for maintaining the option of both cash and cashless payments. In the meantime, while digital payments have gained ground, cash remains the most popular method of payment, and there are concerns that digital payment systems have become more susceptible now to cyberattacks from places like Russia and elsewhere. We have heard the Dutch central bank issue a stark warning to the public, urging them to ensure that they have cash on hand for essential transactions. My message tonight is very simple: we must call on the Commission to ensure that cash legally remains acceptable everywhere, even in places like Starbucks and Ryanair, who think they can be exceptions in this regard. As policymakers, we must ensure that citizens retain the freedom to choose their preferred method of payment. Mr President and Commissioner, cash is king, and long may it continue.

Thank you, Commissioner, and I fully accept what you have said about the purposes of the fund and the way they are being operated. And I suppose at the end of the day, the power and responsibility are of the Member States to identify the priorities. But I put one exception to you and one example to you before I sit down. On a personal front, you will know that many people affected in the Just Transition regions are perhaps heading towards retirement. They may be 40 years old, 50 years old, 60 years old. They feel they have been left behind by this fund. They said training was coming for younger staff, and the new industry you mentioned, the new green sector was coming, but for people who are over 50 years old, they say 'we were forgotten'. 'We have been left on the scrapheap'. We have our new Rust Belt in our country, like the Americans have had in the car sector, and this sector did not target us and our community in the way it might have done.

Commissioner, I would like to speak to you today to address the critical challenges, as you say, in the implementation of the cohesion policy. I have two questions for you, Commissioner. Firstly, congratulations on your period in office and the work you have done, and you acknowledge yourself the challenges that are there. And the challenge of the overly bureaucratic process is in my focus. I know the success of cohesion funding, but I also know what the regional authorities say to me about the complexities and the administration and the burden that places on them. So there is a clear need to ensure that administrations and beneficiaries can navigate the systems better. It's imperative we cut through the red tape when we can. Then, specifically, there is evidence why it is not working. We know in my own country of Ireland, the implementation rate currently sits at 5.4 %! Member States really have to refocus their attention on cohesion funding to ensure they can reduce these regional disparities. I'd like to know your view on how that can be done. Secondly, the Just Transition Fund – you mentioned it yourself briefly – is working, but not supporting the families directly who lost their jobs because of decarbonisation in many areas. I am asking if you would be in favour of a more targeted approach. So we look at the coal mine in Poland – we look at the specific area around the coal mine of 20 km. Or we look at the peat bog land in Ireland – we look at the specific area around that area, and try and target the families in that area so we can assist them in the future.

Mr President, colleagues, Ireland's fishing industry is in crisis. We have 12 % of Europe's richest waters yet, incredibly, we have some of the poorest fishermen and women, because we have less than 6 % of the quota. Year after year, our share declines while Nordic countries expand their fleets and their processing capacity, taking the lion's share. And next year, Ireland faces a further 22 % loss in its mackerel quota, worth EUR 18 million – not because of Irish overfishing, but because of non-EU nations like Norway and Iceland coming in here to overfish by up to 40 % annually. They are plundering our waters, President. In Killybegs, County Donegal, our largest fishing port, boats are at a standstill. Next year they will be lucky to fish for even 2 months in the year. Dylan Kyles, a third-generation fisherman, can only sit idly by on the mainland while watching vessels from elsewhere outside Europe fish freely in the waters every day. It's absurd, President, what's going on. It's allowing Norway to catch three times Ireland's blue whiting quota off our coast, while our boats remain tied up. We can't stand by, President. We must fight back. Fair play for the fishermen in the north-west and the south-west of Ireland – we will not give up until we have fair play!

Mr President, Commissioner, thank you. In the west of Ireland community of Newport, the people are upset and angry because the Irish Government and the European Union have failed to implement the regulations enshrined by law in the EU Water Framework Directive. This beautiful town looks out onto Clew Bay, where fishing for oysters and recreation has already been destroyed by millions of gallons of raw sewage pumped into the Atlantic Ocean by local municipal homes, not by farms. I went there, met Elaine McCaffrey and her neighbours and their children, and I spoke to them. They couldn't have believed that the promised treatment plant has still not been built, and that Irish Water and the Irish Government have ignored the wanton pollution that is going on here. In the words of local activist Chris Maxwell, marine life is being destroyed in front of their eyes every day. We need urgent action from the EU, the Irish Government and Irish Water. We need the Newport scheme to go ahead. We need to stop blaming farmers for all the problems. And finally, it would be remiss of me not to wish the very best – on a personal note – to Commissioner McGuinness tonight. A former colleague of mine, a former mentor on television: you have served your country and your continent and the Union very well. I wish you the very best in your future life, whether it be private or public. I wish you the best.

Mr President, as an MEP representing a largely rural constituency, I regularly see the vital role that our city plays within the region. For many, that journey to a greener, social and more sustainable future can often bring significant challenges. Cohesion funding is a lifeline for some of these communities, offering targeted support to address regional inequalities, and it must be increased if we are serious about fostering balanced regional development. I know where this is working well: the Cities at Heart network, a European programme, brings together 10 different local governments working to create tools for the improvement of city centres. I've been to such a growing municipal area: Sligo, which brings valuable best‑practice examples of how they've implemented innovative measures for property management, tourism policy and much more. Furthermore, Sligo has won the Purple Flag Award for their night-time economy. Public policy in Ireland is often centralised in Dublin. We must change this – we need a territorial approach. Europe depends on the success of all its regions. We must ensure both urban and rural communities have the resources they need to build a sustainable and a prosperous future.

Mr President, I welcome fellow Irishman Mr Tony Murphy and indeed the Court of Auditors' 2023 report. It's clear that while progress has been made, there is still significant room for improvement in how we spend our European Union funding. The report notes that during 2023, the Commission assessed the functioning of the management and control systems at the level of the Member States and concluded that they do not work adequately for 37 out of 278 operational programmes led by DG REGIO. This is a staggeringly high percentage of programmes, with an estimated error rate that has now gone up to 5.6 %, this is a serious problem, President. If a voluntary community group carried on in this manner, making mistakes, they would have their funding applications rejected, thrown out repeatedly. Remember, they also face many kilometres of red tape and administration with complexities. As we move forward, I urge the Parliament and the Commission to take the recommendations of the Court seriously. We need a sharper focus on value for money, ensuring that every euro delivers for our community and we need our Commission to listen, not deny.

Madam President, the horror of the violent onslaught on Gaza is a live TV news event as we speak. Cameras are showing the bombings every hour and over 40 000 people have already died there. Israel has the right to defend itself, but this is outrageous. It must also respect international law. And in years to come, I wonder what the historians will say about what we did in this House, or what we did not do, perhaps more to the point. And in the middle of it all are 370 Irish soldiers in the 124th Infantry Battalion supporting the UNIFIL forces there. Young men and women from the Custume Barracks in Athlone, from the Curragh and County Donegal, who have been attacked day after day. The peacekeepers! I spoke to the father of one of these just 20 minutes ago. His son has now been in a bunker for more than 40 hours. A peacekeeper under attack. What a disgrace! At the end of the day, what are we going to do about the situation? The father asks us, why is Israel trying to kill his son, a peacekeeper? Ladies and gentlemen, the time for action is long gone. A violation of international law must be punished.