Rose Conway-Walsh: Praises EU Gains, Condemns Palestine Response
Rose Conway-Walsh marked Europe Day by outlining both the benefits and the shortcomings of EU membership for Ireland, praising infrastructure investment, market access and CAP support for farmers while urging critical scrutiny of European law transposition. She condemned the EU's response to the violence in Palestine, criticised the government's failure to enact the Occupied Territories Bill and called for stopping Israel's access to Horizon funding.
Benefits of EU membership
She highlighted infrastructure projects, access to the EU market that created employment, and how Irish farmers rely on the EU common agricultural policy.
Questions on law transposition and democratic deficit
She warned that transposition of European law into Irish law is not always correct and said legislators must question it. She called for a "grown-up conversation" about Europe and highlighted a democratic deficit among the EU's 500 million people who want to engage without being left behind.
Brexit, Northern Ireland and EU support for peace
She recalled EU support for Ireland's 1998 peace negotiations and targeted financial assistance that made a real impact in the North. She noted that following Brexit the North was removed from the EU and referenced the April 2017 assertion that in the event of reunification the North would automatically re-enter the EU, saying this guarantees economic status and should mean continued EU support.
Condemnation over Palestine and the Occupied Territories Bill
She said the EU has been "severely wanting" in its response to the slaughter in Palestine and described the human rights and international law violations by Israel as disgraceful. She accused the government of breaking a promise by failing to enact the Occupied Territories Bill.
Concerns about Horizon funding and research access
She said she and others had written previously to stop Israel accessing an EU Horizon project and argued it is wrong for Israel to participate given the actions she described, even using the word "genocide" in her denunciation. She linked the Horizon funding issue to broader criticisms of EU responses and Irish government decisions.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Go raibh magad. Today, as we mark Europe Day, it's fitting that we reflect on the huge positives that the European Union has brought to our island. I see every day firsthand how Ireland has benefited from membership of the EU in terms of infrastructure projects. But that is not to say that we shouldn't have critical analysis. I think we would not be doing our job properly if we benignly accepted every aspect of it. I think in terms of the transposition of European law to this country as well, I think we need to be acutely aware of what that is. And I think we need to have a grown-up conversation around Europe and around the benefits of it, but also around the democratic deficit that exists across the 500 million people who want to engage with the EU, but want to do that in a way that it doesn't leave people behind. I also know how much the farmers of Ireland rely on access to the European, the EU common agricultural policy. But that's not to say like the Gaeke or the way sometimes that European law is transposed here is not always correct. And I think as legislators and as parliamentarians, we must always question that and get the best for the people that we are here to serve. For Irish businesses, access to the EU market has bought an economic dividend and employment was created. When Ireland was negotiating its peace agreement in 1998, the EU supported and underpinned the fledgling peace process with targeted financial support, which has made a real impact, particularly in the North. Following Brexit, despite voting to remain, the North was removed from the European Union. During the tumultuous period, the EU supported Ireland, protecting both our peace agreement and our economic interests. In April 2017, the EU asserted that in the event of reunification, the North will automatically re-enter membership of the European Union. This is simply, but profoundly, is important. It guarantees in economic terms that there would be no question about the status of the North. And I would hope that in the event of Irish unity, direct support will continue to come from the EU. It's important to say, though, that while we recognise and commend the positive aspects, our endorsement cannot be unequivocal. The EU has been found severely wanting in response to the slaughter that is ongoing in Palestine. And the disgraceful human rights violations and international law violations which Israel is perpetrating at this current time. And I would say shame on Israel and shame on this government for failing to enact the Occupied Territories Bill, as it had promised to do so. Another broken election promise. I would also say, in terms of Israel's access to the Horizon project, we wrote before to stop that happening. I don't think it's right that Israel can access an EU Horizon project to do what it is doing. Genocide. Deputy Gibney. Deputy Gibney. Deputy Gibney. Deputy Gibney.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
