Micheál Martin: Ireland Assumes EU Council Presidency

Thank you very much. Welcome to Ireland. It is a great pleasure to welcome you all here today. And we welcome you to the Irish Parliament on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. Although we are in the middle of the Atlantic, the Irish language is very important to us. It is an important part of the Irish language, and we have a strong commitment to the Irish language's survival for the next five years. On the occasion of our 50th anniversary, we are honoured to be able to say that we are proud of it. It is my privilege as Taoiseach to welcome you all to Dublin Castle this afternoon to mark this important moment. A very special welcome, or Céad Míle Fáilte, to the President of the European Council, Antonia Costa, and the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky. Today, Ireland assumes the responsibilities of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time. Just over half a century ago, in January 1972, the then Taoiseach Jack Lynch and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Patrick Hillary signed the Accession Treaty on behalf of Ireland to join the European Communities. Few events in Ireland's history have been so transformative. At that time, average Irish incomes were roughly two thirds of the European average. The so-called marriage bar, requiring women to give up their employment, had not yet been abolished. And we faced the worst year of violence during the Troubles, which saw nearly 500 men, women and children killed. Ireland's emergence as a modern, open economy and society is deeply intertwined with our membership of the European Union. It helped us grow our economy, invest in our communities, and supported social changes. Our European partners made a unique contribution to peace and reconciliation on this island, for which we will always be grateful. But European Union membership is not a one-way street. Previous Irish Presidencies have helped realise significant milestones in our shared European history. We remember in particular the historic Day of Welcomes in May 2004, when the European Union gained ten new member states in its biggest ever enlargement. Despite its location on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland has always been a deeply European country. From the monks who travelled Europe, keeping the light of learning alive through the Dark Ages, to the young Erasmus students of today, we have always been proud Europeans. Together with our European partners, we have built a union that we are honoured to call home. We have weathered storms and crises together, and we have celebrated in joy together, knowing that we are always stronger together. Ní náirt go chur le chéile. We are proud to be part of a European Union in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality are valued, nurtured and never taken for granted. We are proud that Ireland has become a beacon of hope to others for the transformative potential of the European ideal. We say to countries on their journey towards EU membership, we are determined to take you as far down that path as we can. As we take on the Presidency role, we commit to making every effort to make our economy stronger, protect our shared values and keep our people secure. We will stand unswervingly by the people of Ukraine, inspired by their courage and determined to ensure that they get the peace and justice they deserve. Holding the Presidency is an honour and a responsibility, and we are ready to give it our all. We pay warm tribute to Cyprus, our predecessor in office, for the great work that you have done. And we look forward to handing the torch forward to our Lithuanian friends at the start of 2027. Vive l'Europe, en Europe à bout! Thank you very much.