Speeches

A Uachtaráin, my late dear mother used to say to me: ‘Seán,’ she’d say, ‘money isn’t everything. But without it you have nothing.’ And thus, she’s right, we have rich countries, poor countries, rich people, poor people. But when you have money, you must use it prudently – and if you don’t, you lose it. And we found that in our country, many others, during the recession: we over borrowed and went bust. Now that we have recovered, we have to manage prudently. And as the Commissioner has pointed out, we have to reduce public debt, but, at the same time, not inhibit growth and investments – especially investments that reduce emissions – in agriculture, transport renewables are key. So I hope that we can continue and maybe loosen state aid rules to allow those investments. The quicker they happen, the sooner you’ll get a return. And without them, to use my mother’s phrase, we will have nothing and will go nowhere.

A Uachtaráin, I’m coming from Ireland South, an awful lot of our jobs are farmer jobs, and they invest hugely in the economy. And for that reason, I was delighted that the original proposal by the Commission to reduce market protection from eight to six years was not accepted because it would have driven a lot of the research out of Europe. For every research project that’s successful, there are nine, ten, maybe a lot more that aren’t successful – so they need that protection. That’s good. Also, I welcome the streamlining of the approval process at EMA level, because this then should make medicines available to those who need them right across the European Union in a much quicker and more efficient manner, and also in a cheaper situation. So this is a very good package. I think it will work well both for the industry and, above all, for patients right across the European Union, and I think a good job was done. Déanaim comhghairdeachas leis an gCoimisiún agus na rapóirtéirí agus míle buíochas.

A Uachtaráin, I think most people in Europe are sympathetic to the plight of migrants and asylum seekers and they welcome them. But they expect it to be done in a fair and equitable manner. Up until now, that was impossible because we had different systems across Europe. So I welcome this package. I think it will bring coordination in line with our obligations under the international treaties and conventions and will ensure that there is a cohesive and proper manner in which asylum seekers are assessed. This notion that everybody can come to Europe – legal and illegal – and stay here indefinitely; that upsets people and that’s understandable. They expect it to be done, and now we can do it in solidarity. I think once we do that and every Member State plays its part, we will help to have a proper structure and also break the power of the people smugglers who have got away with exploiting the most unfortunate people in the world for too long. Now I think we can get it done properly and fairly and show that Europe is compassionate and works in solidarity.

A Uachtaráin, in the blue zone of Okinawa in Japan, once known as ‘the land of immortals’, they have a term ‘ikigai’, which defines older people’s sense of purpose and their feeling of being needed well into their hundreds. The European population is ageing rapidly. The number of Europeans aged over 65 will double in the next 50 years, and the number over 80 years will treble. With a shrinking labour force – no longer able to provide for the needs of the growing number of older people – it is clear that Europe’s current attitudes towards ageing and retirement are unsustainable. Older people can and do contribute valuably to our society and the workforce. The EU needs to support social services to shift from institutional care to home and community care. By enabling older people with care needs to stay in their homes for as long as possible, their quality of life can be significantly improved, and we enable them to continue to contribute actively to their communities. They can have purpose and feel needed and we can have ikigai in Europe. Finally, I think I’m not a bad example myself of ageing actively and, hopefully, gracefully. I’m an ikigai!

Mr President, in Ireland, having been a member of the European Union since 1973 has profoundly changed the standard of living and our economy. This was due to a changing fund, a structural fund and in particular, the Single Market, which has helped us a lot, to develop our infrastructure and grow our diverse, small, medium and large businesses. Because of this progress, we are now paying into the EU budget more than we get out of it but this is not a problem, but an exhibition of the great progress Ireland has made. This is not to say that we do not have problems, there are, and many of them, especially housing and homeless people and there is still a lot to do to solve these problems. We continue to work to improve the balance of living conditions in our country and in the EU.

A Uachtaráin, I agree completely with this resolution, and it reminds me of possibly the first copyright dispute in the world. In Ireland, almost a thousand years ago, there was a dispute over the ownership of a manuscript. We had judges at that time known as druids, and the druid, in his summary, said, ‘do gach bó a lao, do gach leabhar a údar,’ – ‘to every cow its calf, to every book its author’. And if the druid was here today, he would add, ‘do gach tír, a stór’– ‘to every country its treasure’. It’s not acceptable that the treasures belonging to Romania are still being held in Russia. Whatever the legitimacy was there initially when they went there, it is now time to return them. And I join with colleagues in calling on Russia to do the honourable thing and return to Romania what belongs to them. Do gach tír, a stór, do gach bó, a lao, do gach leabhar, a údar.

A Uachtaráin, we are in politics because we like politics. Farmers farm because they like farming, and above all they love animals and they go to great efforts to protect them, getting up in the middle of the night to oversee cows calving, sheep lambing, paying big veterinary bills to ensure they’re as healthy as possible. And for that reason we shouldn’t be putting limits on what they can do, particularly when they have to trade, which means the animals have to leave the farm. So putting time limits, arbitrary time limits, especially for countries like Portugal and Ireland, makes absolutely no sense. By all means transport them to the highest possible standards, but do not limit the opportunity to trade, because freedom of movement is an essential pillar of the European Union. Having said that, there are a lot of abuses in industrial units, particularly in caged birds, etc., and I do agree we need to move quickly to end the cage age.

, the situation in Afghanistan is alarming, with human rights violations occurring daily, including arrests, detentions, abductions, tortures and killings. Since the Taliban takeover, there has been a complete lack of accountability for these atrocities. Women and girls, in particular, have faced escalating restrictions on their fundamental rights, such as limited access to education, mobility and employment, effectively erasing them from public life. The recent public executions of three individuals, along with the Taliban’s discriminatory restrictions and harsh penalties, are deeply disturbing. The Taliban’s draconian crackdown on dissent and non-compliance with their strict dress code is a clear violation of human rights. It is crucial that we condemn these actions and demand accountability from the de facto authorities in Afghanistan. As the EU, we have a responsibility to address these continuous human rights violations and support the Afghan people, especially women and girls, in their pursuit of justice and freedom. We must fully support the establishment of an international accountability mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of serious violations in Afghanistan. This will be essential for future criminal proceedings and ensuring justice for the victims of human rights abuses. Finally, I reiterate my calls for the European Commission and Member States to facilitate scholarships exclusively for Afghan women and girls. By bringing women back into education, we are not saving them from Afghanistan; we are saving them for Afghanistan in the future.

A Uachtaráin, in my 15 years in the European Parliament, this is the longest list I’ve ever seen for an urgency debate. Not surprising, because I think all right-minded people were absolutely appalled at Hamas’s brutal, evil attack on innocent Israelis on 7 October. But many of those right-minded people are now equally appalled at Netanyahu’s over-the-top reaction. The slaughter of the innocent, especially women and children – who hadn’t hand, act or part in Hamas’s attack on Israel – is not acceptable. We, as a Parliament, have to call for immediate humanitarian aid for the poor, starving people of Gaza. Also, there must be an unconditional release of all hostages. And, thirdly, a ceasefire must be established immediately, so that peace can be brought about here and get a political solution, a two-state solution. That’s the only solution that’s possible, because this is a place which we all regard with affection: it’s the Holy Land, but an unholy war has been going on there for too long. It’s time to stop it.

A Uachtaráin, for far too long, consumers who are trying to make environmentally conscious and informed decisions have had to attempt to find truth in a market awash with greenwashing and lies. With high climate targets, we must enable and empower consumers to make responsible choices. So I welcome this new Green Claims Directive. However, while on one side we have companies who work hard at deceiving their customers rather than reducing their carbon footprint, on the other hand we have farmers who are storing carbon in their soils and are not being rewarded for their climate-friendly actions. In light of the progress made here on greenwashing, it should be recognised that it is time to introduce a robust carbon farming framework that instils confidence, provides verification and offers certification for farmers. So we must do two things together: end greenwashing and reward carbon storage. That would be a win-win for consumers.

A Uachtaráin, by the close of this decade hundreds of billions of products will be connected to the internet. We live in an age of AI and smart technologies. These technologies have become indispensable in our lives, which simultaneously makes them targets of attack. Irish people know this all too well – we are still reeling from a cyberattack on our National Health Service. However, this is not all. Private lives are being exposed, money is being extorted, and there are endless other examples of digital piracy. Europe needs proper protections to modern forms of attack, and I am happy to have voted for this regulation, which will help us to do that. Sampla eile den dea-obair a dhéanann Parlaimint na hEorpa, an Coimisiún agus an Chomhairle le chéile. B’fhéidir nach bhfaighimid creidiúint dó ach déanaimid an obair agus feicfear a rian amach anseo.

A Uachtaráin, as rapporteur for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, I think it is a significant step towards decarbonising buildings across the European Union, reducing the EU’s emissions and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The proposal on the table now is a balanced and practical agreement that gives Member States a very high degree of flexibility to take into account local circumstances and different starting points. Ending our dependence on external sources for our energy supply is good for the climate, good for European energy security, and, critically, good for the economy and EU competitiveness. The EPBD will make it easier for people to renovate their homes, ensuring our buildings consume less energy and rely on cheaper and greener renewable sources. After two years’ work, the deal on the table now is a balanced and practical agreement that injects affordability into Europe’s renovation wave. I would like to compliment again my co-rapporteurs, especially the rapporteur, Ciarán Cuffe. They were a very good group to work with, they worked hard – two years’ work – and now it’s passed in Parliament – wonderful feeling.

A Uachtaráin, I would like to reiterate the position I have maintained for the entirety of this conflict. The European Union must stand united against Russia and its allies, and this absolutely extends to trade in agricultural products. That we would allow the Russian war machine to be funded by the EU single market, while at the same time disadvantaging our own farmers is frankly outlandish. I welcome and I support the call last week from my EPP colleague Donald Tusk, for a common European solution to the issue of Russian and Belarusian grain flooding the EU market and putting pressure on our producers. This is not something we can allow happen, and I call on the Commissioner today to act in the best interests of farmers, both in his native Poland and across the Union, and bring forward a proposal for the introduction of sanctions. This must be a European solution. A fragmented approach by Member States to this will be weak and insufficient. We must ensure a strong all-of-EU response to this issue. Failure to take action as a Union will serve only to turn the screw further and increase the pressures on our farmers at a time when we need to give them the utmost support. This war affects us all. Putin’s ambitions will not stop with Ukraine, and we must maintain a firm, unyielding and united approach as 27 Member States against Russia’s brutal, illegal and imperialistic invasion of Ukraine.

Madam President, the EU’s climate risk assessment report is a stark warning that Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world. For the EU, this should also be seen as an opportunity. It is now clear that our decarbonisation efforts are good for our economies and good for our consumers. Across the Union, the days on which we have the most wind or the most solar on the grid are the days when electricity is cheapest. By urgently accelerating the switch to a renewable-based system, not only do we cut emissions, we also make energy cheaper, we boost European competitiveness, we drive investment into European manufacturing and, critically, we end our dependence on external energy sources. There is no country better placed to contribute to this than Ireland, with our vast renewable sources and cutting-edge electricity market that can already operate with 70% renewables at any one time. We can be the powerhouse of the decarbonised electricity grid if the right strategies are put in place. I call on the Commission to set out its ambition to deliver a fully renewable energy system as soon as possible and give the needed signals for investment to the market.

Mr President, (start of speech off mic) ... on behalf of those who sat here during the entire debate in the hope of catching the eye, I want to say I am not happy with the way you handled it. After Commissioner Breton spoke beyond his time, you encouraged Members to speak longer than their time allotted. You said you were going to be lenient with them because you were lenient with the Commissioner. Now you decide, at the end, that you’re only going to take five, which in itself is disproportionate, because if you take my group, my group – the EPP – are five or six times bigger than the smaller group, so I think you really need to reflect on, number one, the way you deal with the debate, and secondly, the way you decide in the end how you’re going to allot catch-the-eye. I’m not happy and it’s unfair to all of us who sat here for the entire debate, and we didn’t know until the very end that you would not take us. It happens too often and we are getting sick of it.

Mr President, at the March Council meeting leaders will discuss the issues facing the agricultural sector and I cannot emphasise enough how important this discussion is. Our farmers had to withstand unprecedented economic challenges over the past four years as the COVID pandemic, energy price hikes, unfair international competition in an increasingly protectionist international environment and spiralling inflation have wreaked havoc over our farmers’ livelihoods. The incoming Parliament and Commission will soon work towards a new MFF. We must stand by our farmers throughout this process, especially in relation to the CAP, and I call on leaders to set it as a key political priority when they meet later this month. The new CAP must have a stronger economic pillar that safeguards the vital direct farm payments that make farming an attractive profession and a way of life once again. Our farmers are the ones that put food on our tables, and we must do everything we can to stand by them, cut out unnecessary administrative red tape and adequately support them financially through the transition to net zero. The last two years have shown us the dangers of being dependent on external sources for our energy supply. We cannot become dependent on external sources for our food. Leaders must make this clear later this month. I want to say, we also need to stand by Ukraine. And I would like to see the phrase ‘Ukraine fatigue’ banished from our lexicon. And finally, in relation to Gaza, we have to work and work and work to get a ceasefire there, and put a stop to Netanyahu’s continuous onslaught on the innocent citizens of Gaza.

, Commissioner Simson, , scaling up the deployment of renewable energy technologies is a vital part of delivering on our climate goals, but it must go hand in hand with maximising the efficiency of our existing building stock – the last missing piece, as the Commissioner just said. In 2022, the same year the energy crisis really began to wreak havoc on our electricity and gas bills, the EU relied on expensive imports for 62.5% of its energy consumption. In Ireland, we spend EUR 1 million every hour on fossil fuel imports. Ending our dependence on external sources for our energy supply is good for the climate, good for Europe’s energy security and critically good for our economy and EU competitiveness, as well as job creation, with the construction sector being the largest generator of jobs per million euros invested. The EPBD will make it easier for people to renovate their homes, ensuring our buildings consume less energy and rely on cheaper and greener renewable sources. For residential buildings it is completely up to each Member State’s government to decide how they will achieve the 16% energy savings across the stock. Member States may decide to use a combination of various measures. As for non-residential buildings, Member States retain a high degree of flexibility when applying exemptions or derogations, such as historical buildings. Importantly, actions from other pieces of legislation will also contribute to the EPBD. After long negotiations, we now have a sensible compromise on the table that appropriately balances increasing the energy performance of buildings on one hand, while ensuring cost effectiveness and affordability on the other. The threat of compulsory renovation that had been hanging over millions of owners and tenants is now off the table. It is vital that the European Parliament passes the EPBD when it votes tomorrow, and I am pleased that my group will be voting in favour. And finally, I would like to thank a great team of co-rapporteurs – it has been a joy to work with them and hopefully our work will bear fruit tomorrow and into the future in ensuring we have energy-efficient buildings across Europe.

A Uachtaráin, most European citizens want to reduce their carbon footprint, and to that end they try to buy products which are seen to be sustainable. The problem is, of course, they are not sustainable. Europe is awash with greenwashing. I’ll give an example: in my own country, a company claimed that it was producing products using renewable energy. It was, but guess how much? Five per cent renewable energy, the rest was fossil fuels. So this has to stop and I’m delighted we’re making an effort here. On the other hand, you have farmers who are storing carbon in their soils, and without a carbon farming framework they cannot be rewarded. Indeed, there are those who do not want to reward them; they want to use all stick and no carrot. So I think it’s essential that we reward those who are making a genuine effort to reduce emissions, to store carbon, and put an end to greenwashing so that we can have proper efforts here, made in Europe.

A Uachtaráin, simply, Ireland needs to invest more in its own security. Maritime security is pivotal for Ireland’s strategic interests given the vast marine territory under our jurisdiction. This territory extends far beyond our coastline, and includes energy pipelines and subsea cables, making it of immense importance to the European Union. Approximately 75% of cables in the Northern Hemisphere pass through or are in close proximity to Irish waters. These cables play a crucial role in facilitating 97% – yes, 97% – of worldwide communications, encompassing financial transactions, business activities and everyday internet connectivity. No wonder Russian submarines have been observed more and more off our coast. It’s time for an Irish approach, but also a common EU approach. Ireland is also seen, unfortunately, as a soft touch for the transit of illegal drugs, as shown by the seizure of EUR 33 million of crystal meth in a warehouse not far from where I live, in my constituency, which came from Mexico and was eventually bound for Australia. If that doesn’t tell a message, what does?

A Uachtaráin, obviously, it’s unacceptable that patients in Ireland and across the European Union have to wait long periods for life-saving medical aid of one kind or another. And if bureaucracy – and particularly European bureaucracy – is partly responsible for that, we have a duty to ensure that that is removed at the quickest possible speed. Also, as colleagues pointed out, we have to be very careful that we don’t drive companies out of Europe because of overregulation or not giving them the time to do the work they need to do, because innovation takes a lot of time, it isn’t always successful and we have to bear that in mind. But particularly, I think, as has been emphasised particularly by my colleague Deirdre Clune, as soon as the next Commission is up and running, they’ll have to do a complete overhaul of the regulations here, remove the unnecessary bureaucracy, and ensure that innovations can take place and also that patients will get the medical aid they need as quickly as possible. That has to be done and it shouldn’t be beyond our remit.

Mr President, as a member of the Committee on International Trade, I welcome trade agreements. We have done quite a few in the last 10 or 15 years, which have been very positive for Europe because trade agreements are about win—win, and there are thousands and thousands of jobs created in Europe as a result of trade agreements. It is also very important that we diversify, in particular, in relation to critical raw materials. Lithium from Chile will be a big help in diversifying away from dependence on China, etcetera. Sustainability clauses are good, climate change is always very important, but there is a caveat. When my colleague Benoît here referred to agriculture, we have to be very careful of the overall impact of trade agreements on agriculture, and that’s why I think a sunset clause is very important to see how it’s impacting. If you have a continuous erosion of internal production, that’s not a good thing and that’s something we must monitor. Thankfully, Mercosur has fallen by the wayside. That would have been far worse. Chile won’t affect us that badly.

A Uachtaráin, Ireland is a neutral country, but neutrality doesn’t make you immune to modern phenomena such as terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, political interference. An example was when our HSE was attacked, a cyberattack, a year or two ago, doing significant damage to our health services. Also, Ireland hosts, in its territorial waters, thousands of energy pipelines and subsea cables, which are vital for not just Ireland, but the European economy. Russian forces were seen to be observing and monitoring and mapping these some time ago, but our defence forces are underinvested in and are incapable of responding. We need to work with our European partners and invest more in, particularly, our defence forces, so that they can at least monitor and help defend us from these type of attacks.

Mr President, I also voted in favour of this recommendation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. The aim of this recommendation is for European citizens to be able to easily identify political ads, understand who is behind them, and know whether the ad they have received is targeted so that they are better informed to make measured choices. It will help preserve an open and fair political debate in the Member States. It shall also protect the fundamental rights of citizens, in particular the right to privacy. I am also pleased that this proposal does not go overboard and that normal political advertising is still possible and practical under the new rules.

Mr President, I fully support this proposal to establish a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform or ‘STEP’. This new platform will channel investment into the areas of digital and deep tech, clean technologies and biotechnologies, with the aim of preserving, growing and developing this important project across Europe. Through a combination of incentives and financial measures to facilitate project funding, it will use funding to support critical technologies under existing EU programmes and funds. This will significantly contribute to strengthening the EU’s long-term sovereignty and competitiveness in this sector, which is paramount today.

A Uachtaráin, security agreement from all states and the allocation of the EUR 50 billion fund for Ukraine was a success that depended on the timely approval of this Ukraine Facility, so that we can ensure structured and coordinated support for Ukraine. This package epitomises the strength of the Union, showing our collective support and commitment to democracy in the face of tyranny and transnational aggression. It is the moment for this to show leadership from Europe. The Ukraine Facility is a comprehensive instrument which crucially considers short- and long-term recovery and reconstruction. It ensures predictability, transparency and accountability of the funds, ultimately putting Ukraine on the road to accession. For these reasons, I voted in favour and I am delighted to have done so, and I hope it will encourage and give moral support as well to the people of Ukraine.