Speeches

A Uachtaráin, it’s only right we should fight against hatred of all types: antisemitism, anti-Muslimism, but also anti-Christian hatred. Only last week we saw a church in Turkey being attacked during mass. Christians are the most persecuted minority in many parts of the world, and that’s something that we EPP Christian Democrats would have to condemn and would like to see addressed. Also, it has to be said that, in relation to antisemitism, while Netanyahu had a right to defend Israel after the horrific attacks by Hamas, he’s gone over the top completely. The indiscriminate killing of so many Palestinians, women and children, is something that we’d have to condemn, and that actually makes it very difficult to fight against antisemitism. And that is something we have to recognise and hopefully bring about peace there. As well as that, we need to look at the platforms that have become a home for the haters and a home for the bitter – to use it, often anonymously, to spread hatred. And that’s something we need to look at, particularly in the next mandate: look at Twitter and the like to stop this free opportunity to spread hatred.

A Uachtaráin, a Choimisinéir, quality traineeships play a pivotal role in integrating young people into the labour market. The transition from education to employment is fraught with difficulties for our youth, and it is imperative that we address these obstacles collectively. Despite progress in recent years, there remain significant hurdles. Notably, the number of young individuals gaining long traineeships has decreased. Furthermore, while the percentage of paid traineeships has increased, it is disheartening that nearly half of the trainees across the EU continue to go unpaid, undermining the financial stability of our emerging workforce. Quality traineeships are instrumental in bridging the gap between education and employment. However, these persisting issues threaten to discourage talented individuals and exacerbate existing inequalities. We need to incentivise and promote paid traineeships, increase the overall number of traineeships, and encourage collaboration between educational institutions, businesses and government bodies. Quality traineeships are indispensable tool in aiding the integration of young people into the labour market.

Madam President, solar energy is becoming increasingly important in Europe’s energy transition, with the scale of deployment surprising many experts. There were 20GW of new EU solar installations in 2020, doubling to 40 in 2022. Last year, as Commissioner Mairead McGuinness pointed out, Europe installed 56GW of solar capacity. Very impressive. This success is extremely welcome, but we cannot expect industry to maintain this positive trend if we expose European producers to unfair trading practices. Currently, we’re negotiating legislation to boost domestic production of key technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines and heat pumps, aiming to reduce dependence on China, which currently accounts for almost 80% of global solar manufacturing. However, we must ask: will this happen quickly enough? Can we meet the target of having 40% of European demand for solar panels produced within Europe by 2030 if producers are already struggling? If we are to avoid economic vulnerabilities, we need to stand on our own two feet. Solar is an extremely important industry for the future, and Europe must be a significant part of it.

A Uachtaráin, a Choimisinéir Mairead agus Deirdre ó Chorcaigh, the world of banking has evolved as technology becomes more advanced. While there is and should continue to be a place for cash payments in today’s society, the reality is that personal and business finance has become more and more digitised. Instant transfer banking, such as Revolut, has become very popular for a reason. The nature and means by which people transfer money has changed and we should embrace this shift. While instant payments have been offered in the EU for a number of years, with this legislation, instant payments in euros will become a requirement, not a possibility, for payment service providers. This is good news for customers, as the proposals would require banks to be capable of receiving and sending instant payments without surcharge and across all channels, with payments capped at EUR 100 000. This is particularly important for Irish consumers, as none of the Irish retail banks currently provide their customers with the ability to transfer money instantly. Relying on transfers that can take up to three working days is holding us back, and I support measures that mandate instant payment services, as we can see how efficient and convenient the technology is. However, it is very important that enough time be given to implement this change securely. The last thing we want to see is unnecessary risks to our bank system security. Fortunately, this legislation also provides provisions to make transfers more trustworthy. This is a good news story for consumers, making instant euro payments affordable and accessible to citizens.

A Uachtaráin, at the recent Parliamentary Partnership Assembly meeting in the House of Commons we discussed fisheries, and we’ll be making recommendations as a result. One of the points that came across clearly was that Irish fishers, both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, have lost out heavily as a result of Brexit, and we will make recommendations as to how that can be amended. Also, we looked at the annual quota, which makes no sense because if we, for instance, had to have an election every year, how could we function? It’s the same for fishers that need a multi-annual plan, the same as in the CAP, for at least five years. As well as that, we need to look at processing, carrying fish halfway around the world to process it, when it should be processed as close as possible to the landing port makes absolutely no sense, and that is what we should be doing in the future. And, of course, it should not help third countries, particularly countries like Norway and Iceland and others, when European fishers are discriminated against.

A Uachtaráin, as our rapporteur, the esteemed professor and the Commissioner said, geothermal energy is a tremendous yet often-overlooked resource. It is the local, secure and renewable energy source that can play a pivotal role in decarbonising the heating sector and meeting our climate and energy goals in certain areas. The heating sector, responsible for half of Europe’s energy demand, is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with over 60% relying on fossil fuels. Decarbonising this sector is crucial, and geothermal district heating provides a scalable and affordable solution for many regions, cities and communities across Europe. We need simplified permitting procedures, access to sub-surface data, and support for low temperature district heating networks, to make geothermal energy a cornerstone in our clean energy strategy. In my constituency, the cities of Cork, Waterford and Limerick have enormous potential for district heating networks and I have discussed this with many stakeholders across the Ireland South region. The Commission must take a leadership role to make geothermal across Europe more than we have at the moment.

Madam President, I was never in Serbia, but my former assistant, Jelena Radaković, was from Serbia, so I have an interest in it, and I am pleased that we are now in a position where we can analyse the elections. Hopefully the report will be positive because I think enlargement as such for the EU is a very good thing. But also the hope of acceding to the European Union one day sets in train reforms that may not otherwise happen without that. I would hope that the hope of being a member of the European Union one day – when they see the benefits which many of their neighbours, including Franc’s Slovenia, have, having joined – will encourage them to bring an inclusive society where the rule of law is observed, respect for minorities, etc. That hope then, and those reforms, will become a reality when they join the European Union one day. I think that would be great for the European Union and great for Serbia.

A Uachtaráin, I think, first of all, I am very pleased with the support the farmers are getting from my group, the EPP. We see ourselves as the farmers’ party, but at the same time, farmers themselves feel not just not loved, but sometimes not appreciated and in some respects marginalised. And it isn’t Fit for 55 that’s the problem – it is the implementation of it and not getting recognition for the work they have done. An awful lot of good things are happening in farming to reduce emissions, but they’re not getting credit for it. Secondly, the red tape associated with it is overwhelming, so much so that Teagasc – the advisory group in Ireland for farmers – have no time now to visit any farms. Their whole time is taken up with filling in one form after another for all the various schemes. This has to change. And finally, calendar farming. There is no flexibility whatsoever. So farmers maybe, who have a tank full of slurry with cattle having to lie down in their own excrement, can’t do anything about it until a particular date is reached, which may not even be suitable to spread slurry. But that’s the way it is. A little bit of flexibility, a little bit of common sense would go a long way.

Thank you very much for your question. No, I don’t, and I recall when Viktor Orbán and his party were part of our group, myself and a former MEP from Sweden, Gunnar Hökmark, were one of the first to say that his behaviour was totally unacceptable. I’m glad that found favour eventually with the EPP and he left us. We’re better off without him and Europe would be better off without him as well. As I said, he is Putin’s pompous puppet. We don’t need him.

A Uachtaráin, 2024 will be the year of democracy, with consequential elections taking place all across the world. Yet we cannot celebrate this expansive democratic exercise while a democratic country in Europe is being bombarded and devastated by a power-hungry totalitarian. I have major concerns about the ongoing situation in Ukraine and the hurdles we face in securing the much-needed EUR 50 billion special fund for our allies. The urgency of obtaining financial support for Ukraine cannot be overstated, especially considering the country’s escalating public deficit, and the pressing need for resources amidst the Russian attacks. Viktor Orbán – Putin’s pompous puppet – selfish veto is a stain on Europe, and he should not be able to block the will of 26 Member States for his own self-interest. Yet I am hopeful an acceptable way can be found to overcome this impasse. Our support should not only be financial, but also strategic, providing the necessary tools for Ukraine to defend itself and ensure a better future for its citizens. While these negotiations are ongoing, the focus must remain on securing the EUR 50 billion fund, whether Putin’s pompous puppet likes it or not. (The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question)

A Uachtaráin, in the wake of the economic setbacks brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the need to stimulate more investment activity in the EU, I welcome the amendments to the Markets in Financial Instruments regulation. An EU-wide consolidated tape for financial markets, instruments and targeted changes to market structure will strengthen transparency and competitiveness in the financial markets of the European Union. Investors will be better protected, as well as having easier access to-up-to date transaction information for the whole of the EU. The practice whereby brokers receive payments for forwarding client orders to certain trading platforms will eventually be completely phased out. Lastly, I commend the inclusion of assessment by June 2026, of whether the consolidated tape framework indeed mitigates information asymmetries and whether the EU has become a more attractive marketplace. Hopefully it will.

A Uachtaráin, regulating fluorinated greenhouse gases is an essential step in ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks of the European Green Deal. These greenhouse gases are human-made chemicals that are often several thousand times stronger than carbon dioxide. The prohibition of greenhouse gases has a proven successful track record in reducing damage to our ozone layer, and this regulation is the way to ensure that that statement remains true. The revisions made to this directive will ensure better implementation of the regulation, to set a downward trend in both production and consumption of these gases by clarifying and strengthening existing standards. Sin iad na fáthanna gur vótáil mé i bhfabhar an rúin seo.

A Uachtaráin, the recovery of the ozone layer following the adoption of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987 was a triumph for humans in the face of climate change. It gave us hope that with good governance it is not too late to turn around our current trajectory towards climate catastrophe. It is time for us to act in the name of the planet once again and not let the triumphs of the leaders who came before us be in vain. Thus, it is essential that the EU avoids any backsliding and ensures that its ozone-depleting substances policy is aligned with the objectives in the European Green Deal – of which we have done so much in this mandate – the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Agreement. De bharr na gcúiseanna seo, vótáil mé i bhfabhar an bhille.

A Uachtaráin, well done to the rapporteur. I remember the joy that was in my group, the EPP, the night CETA was passed here in the European Parliament, by the biggest vote in favour of a trade agreement ever at that time. And of course, subsequently it has had provisional application. However, I was disappointed, like my colleagues in Fine Gael in Ireland, and others as well, that the Supreme Court ruled the ratification of it was unconstitutional, according to the Irish Constitution. But thankfully, it doesn’t require a referendum. I think an amendment to the Arbitration Act of 2010 will do the business, but of course, it has provisional application. There has been 30 % growth in trade between Ireland and Canada in the last number of years, as the rapporteur pointed out, creating 75 000 jobs across Europe. In fairness to the Canadians, Ireland and the other nine countries that haven’t ratified it should ratify it as quickly as possible – because Canada is a great country and it welcomed and gave jobs to an awful lot of Europeans at the time of the recession here when they couldn’t get jobs in Europe.

Mr President, firstly, thanks to my colleague Tom for doing great work in this area. Ports are absolutely vital for our economy, in terms of trade but, as he pointed out, especially for a decarbonised economy where we’re going to have a huge amount of offshore wind, and we need to develop our ports. But he is absolutely right: we need to ensure that we control and own our ports, and this is not the case in many places at the moment. That’s certainly something that has to be tackled and done, as he said, collectively in Europe, rather than individual ports trying to deal with it. I’m not aware of any ownership of ports in Ireland, but ports like Foynes, Bantry, Cork, Waterford, Rosslare have huge potential to both help the local communities, but especially to ensure that we can avail of the massive wind potential both in the Celtic Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean. So developing the infrastructure ports has to happen as quickly as possible.

Mr President, we should have this debate today because the paradigm in Rome at the beginning of this month cannot be ignored promoting neo-fascism, and I am glad that most of the Members here have condemned this paradise and fascism. We need to do more than criticize it, especially we need to do more to respect everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from and perhaps we should focus more on the schools to do so. We also need to ask whether it should be fair for unknown people to be able to use social media to promote fake news and extremism, some of which have a lot of accounts. We need to focus on that as well and perhaps end it.

A Uachtaráin, firstly, as an Irish person, I am very pleased and proud of the work of Ombudsman O’Reilly. For a number of years now, she’s been doing her job in a very impartial, professional manner with – as has been admitted – limited resources and, of course, as has been pointed out, she has worked very closely with the European Parliament, especially the Petitions Committee. Both the Petitions Committee and the Ombudsman are probably one of the only ways we can get recourse for difficulties and highlight malpractices, especially in relation to European institutions, where the Ombudsman is concerned. And I think she did that fearlessly. The fact that she annoyed some people during her time in office over the last number of years, that was probably a compliment because it showed that she was objective, she was fearless and she did a very good job. On behalf, I think, of Irish MEPs and the Irish public in general, we’re very proud of her and wish her well. Go raibh maith agat, Emily.

A Uachtaráin, the atrocities committed on 7 October by Hamas against innocent civilians were entirely repugnant. But what we are seeing now has entered another stratosphere in terms of ordinary people – men, women and children – being killed, starved or left homeless. There have been many comments in this debate revolving around geopolitics and strategic interests. Such details and explanations are of little value when the reality is that a whole population is being punished for the actions of terrorists. The military campaign in Gaza is among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. Not much has been said about what kind of bombs and artillery are being used in Gaza. But the indiscriminate bombing, the devastation to the infrastructure and to the whole population is immense. I support the Irish Government’s efforts to intensify the pressure for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and I call on everyone here present to do the same. I am against Hamas. I am against anti-Semitism, but I will always stand up for the innocent. Israel has the right to exist and defend itself. It has the right to get its hostages home safe. But innocent Palestinians have the right to life – not just to live, but to life. We need a ceasefire, and we need it now. Without a ceasefire, no progress can be made and we will never have peace.

A Uachtaráin, when Putin, without provocation, may I add, invaded Ukraine, he thought it would be all over in a couple of days. It wasn’t, because of the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the support from a united Europe. He hadn’t reckoned with that. Now, he has turned his economy into a war economy, where everything is going into fighting against Ukraine. It doesn’t worry him that over 370 000 Russian soldiers have been killed. He will allow, gladly, another 370 000 Russian soldiers to be killed in pursuit of his vanity project. We, however, must stand united in Europe, in supporting Ukraine, and we must not allow anybody – Viktor Orbán, Putin’s pompous puppet in Europe – to derail our efforts to support Ukraine.

A Uachtaráin, I just want briefly to bring to the attention of colleagues the sad passing of James Temple-Smithson, Head of the European Parliament Office in Dublin, at the tender age of only 50 years. James was a gentleman, number one, and also hugely respected by his colleagues, and particularly my Irish MEP colleagues. We valued his good work, his enthusiasm for the European project and particularly the respect he showed to all Irish MEPs and all those he dealt with. I hope that expressing our condolences here today will go in some way to ease the burden of grief on his family. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Uachtaráin. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. Maith thú. (Bualadh bos)

A Uachtaráin, the title ‘Non-objection mechanisms in international conventions to which the European Union is a party’ would be very difficult to explain to ordinary citizens, and they would probably see it as Brussels speak. Nevertheless, these issues are necessary, and I would like to compliment the MEPs who have mastered this and the Commission and the Council. And, as has been said, if the Commission needs to take action, then there is a procedure there by which to do it. And I think that’s only right. I would also like to take this opportunity, as the Council said, this is the last of the Spanish Presidency’s meetings. I was involved, particularly in the Energy, Performance and Buildings Directive, I thought Ambassador Raúl Fuentes did an excellent job, and while the EPP would have serious concerns about internal matters in Spain, that should not take from the good work that was done in completing many, many important files which will stand to the good of citizens in Europe in the future. So well done. And the final word there is party, it’s time to party! Nollaig shona daoibh uilig, Happy Christmas to all!

Mr President, I agree with my colleagues Mr Kubilius and Ms Šojdrová and others that the Solidarity Lanes are very important. They are a means to help Ukraine, but they must function properly in the interests of farmers in Europe. And as Ms Šojdrová said, maybe we need to look at the efficiency of the lanes and come up with better ways of monitoring, etc., and I would hope that the Commission would do this immediately, because what is not at stake is any lessening of support for Ukraine. And also I think, with Christmas coming into New Year and all the attention probably at the moment, unfortunately, on the Middle East, we may be taking our eye off the ball in relation to Russia and Ukraine. And I would call, particularly, on all countries who themselves suffered under the USSR, who had to fight for independence – like Hungary – to reassess their attitude to Ukraine and Russia and think of what it would be like if they were invaded again.

Mr President, COP28 will be looked at from many different perspectives. While personally disappointed not to be there, it sets a clear direction for a sustainable future. It’s the first time in the history of the 28COP summits that fossil-fuel reduction has been mentioned in the final agreement. Yet, unfortunately, it falls short of explicitly mentioning the phasing out of oil, gas and coal. The whole agreement looked like it could collapse, but thankfully some improvements were made to the disappointing draft text that was initially circulated. The agreement signifies a substantial step forward for countries committed to addressing the climate crisis. In particular, it includes calls for the tripling of renewable energy capacity globally by 2030. There are many other positive aspects of the outcome. The conference reached landmark agreements and loss and damage, and saw an agreement to draft a post-2025 finance target ahead of COP29. The agreement will influence real world decisions made by investors, financial institutions, governments and private companies. Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the leadership role played by the EU and particularly Irish minister Eamon Ryan, who was one of the key negotiators on.

A Uachtaráin, across Europe, young people struggled to secure a roof over their heads and to meet the rising costs of living. Ireland, once known for one of the highest EU homeownership rates, has seen a decline despite near full employment and recent economic growth. Notably, this decline is prominent among younger and lower-income demographics, with less than a third of 30-year-olds owning homes today. This, of course, is a problem yet recent actions have been hampered by the pandemic and having to virtually shut down the construction sector, as well as mortgage interest rates and building costs shooting up. Despite lofty promises from politicians seeking support, unfortunately there is no quick fix. The solution in some ways is straightforward: increasing the supply of affordable housing. However, achieving this requires various policy measures at different governance levels. Streamlining and simplifying planning systems at a national level is essential, but authorities must have adequate resources for this to occur. Housing is not an EU competence. However, the EU can and should strengthen its financial contribution by building upon the effective work of the European Investment Bank. Ireland itself needs to be better at utilising existing EU funds. For example, the construction of social and affordable housing could be covered under InvestEU. Although it is welcome that the Commission approved a EUR 450 million Irish housing scheme under state aid rules, there also needs to be broadening of exemptions for social housing under the rulebook more generally.

Mr President, the report provides an important framework to convey Parliament's key political messages to strengthen the European dimension of the 2024 European elections, and the process leading up to the election of the President of the Commission. I was happy to vote in favour of this report, as, among other reasons, it introduces measures to facilitate the access to voting for mobile citizens and citizens with disabilities. This is grounded in the principles of inclusivity and equal representation. It aims to ensure that all eligible citizens, regardless of their mobility or physical abilities, can exercise their right to vote. Strengthening the European dimension of elections is a way to enhance the democratic legitimacy of the European Parliament. By fostering a more direct link between citizens and European institutions, voter engagement and trust in the democratic process can be increased. I also welcome the defeat of the motion to have transnational lists. We don't want a House of Commons of MEPs and a House of Lords of MEPs.