Ciarán Mullooly, MEP, responds to footage of defence forces deployed in Ireland this morning to remove farmers protesting fuel prices. He urges the European Commission and member states to choose dialogue, fast-track state aid and prepare an EU-level emergency resilience instrument.
Condemnation of the deployment
Ciarán Mullooly criticises the decision by the Irish government to send defence forces and tanks to remove farmers from public roads. He describes the action as an immature response and calls on political leaders to treat individuals as human beings.
Immediate policy asks
Mullooly asks the Commission to expand and fast-track state aid for haulage, agriculture and fisheries, and to show urgent state aid flexibility to prioritise those most affected in the coming months. He also demands a prompt re-examination of tax and VAT measures affecting farmers and rural households.
Proposal for an EU emergency instrument
Mullooly argues Europe will need a new RRF-style emergency resilience instrument to respond to an extended crisis and says preparations should begin now for measures required in the autumn. He frames the need as structural, not short term.
Political accountability and consequences
Mullooly emphasises that this deployment was ordered by the Taoiseach, who will hold the EU presidency in July, and questions whether this was the right signal to send. He appeals to the Commission to take urgent action and to prioritise dialogue and support over force.
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Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the Commission for the update on, as you say, Chair, what we know of what's going on in Europe at the moment. I'm watching pictures, Chair, on my mobile phone of tanks, army tanks, going into parts of my member state, Ireland, sent there by the Irish government this morning to remove farmers from the sides of roads, public roads, where they are protesting over the price of fuel. And I'm saying to myself, is this immature reaction? Should we not be trying to create some dialogue with farmers and show them positivity in terms of what can be achieved in the coming months? But no, we're going with a hammer, and I remind the members in this room that this decision was made by the President, the Taoiseach of our country, who will be President of Europe in July. This is his mature judgement. Is this to go out with a hammer this morning, sending in the defence forces, an army to take farmers? Farmers need answers, they need dialogue, they need hope, they need commitments going forward. They need, from the member states, the tax issue, the VAT issue has to be re-looked at immediately. But this House, this Commission has to play its role. We need to see urgent state aid flexibility, which will allow people to be prioritised in the coming months. And I think the Commission, I ask the Commission to look at expanding and fast-tracking state aid for haulage, agriculture, fisheries who are on their knees as well, or rural SMEs and households dependent on home heating oil. I really think we need a new EU-level emergency fund. We're going to need this. It's not a short-term problem, we're going to need a new RRF-style emergency resilience instrument at European level. We're going to need it in the autumn, we should start preparing for it. So I appeal to the Commission to start progress on this issue immediately. And for God's sake, treat individuals as human beings, do not be sending tanks out to remove farmers from the side of the road, it's disgusting.
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