Sinéad Gibney: EU Militarisation Threatens Peace
Sinéad Gibney speaks on Europe Day, warning that the European Union is drifting towards militarisation and away from its founding peace and democratic values. She criticises recent budget priorities that favour arms manufacturers and raises concerns about government attacks on the European Convention on Human Rights.
Sinéad Gibney opens by affirming her pride in being European while saying this is a heartbreaking moment: what began as a post-war peace project risks becoming a European Defence Union. She calls for scrutiny of the EU's current direction and for Ireland to be a vocal defender of democratic and social values.
Gibney highlights the multi-annual financial framework, arguing it has pivoted to reward arms manufacturers over small and medium businesses. She warns that the biggest states with weapons industries stand to benefit, and that this shift undermines social cohesion and the original aims of the union.
Quoting the values captured by the European Commission survey - democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights - she argues the Union has drifted from those principles through deregulation and increased militarisation. She challenges the government for aligning with larger political groupings instead of articulating an independent, values-based position.
Gibney also reiterates her concern about recent government moves against the European Convention on Human Rights and the politicisation of the judiciary. She stresses the ECHR's role in underpinning the Good Friday Agreement and asks for reassurance that Ireland will uphold its commitments to the Convention and the European Court of Human Rights.
Main message
Sinéad Gibney opens by affirming her pride in being European while saying this is a heartbreaking moment: what began as a post-war peace project risks becoming a European Defence Union. She calls for scrutiny of the EU's current direction and for Ireland to be a vocal defender of democratic and social values.
Budget priorities and industry
Gibney highlights the multi-annual financial framework, arguing it has pivoted to reward arms manufacturers over small and medium businesses. She warns that the biggest states with weapons industries stand to benefit, and that this shift undermines social cohesion and the original aims of the union.
Values at risk
Quoting the values captured by the European Commission survey - democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights - she argues the Union has drifted from those principles through deregulation and increased militarisation. She challenges the government for aligning with larger political groupings instead of articulating an independent, values-based position.
ECHR and peace on the island
Gibney also reiterates her concern about recent government moves against the European Convention on Human Rights and the politicisation of the judiciary. She stresses the ECHR's role in underpinning the Good Friday Agreement and asks for reassurance that Ireland will uphold its commitments to the Convention and the European Court of Human Rights.
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Transcript
I welcome the opportunity to make these statements today to celebrate Europe Day because I am a proud European and I do think it's important to remember and to celebrate the very positive influence that European Union membership has had on Irish society and indeed prior to European Union membership, cooperation with European member states post-war, post-conflict and I think that's really what I want to emphasize first is that this is for me a really heartbreaking moment whereby what started as a peace project in the European Union post-war it's called something different then, to end conflict, to prevent conflict between European nations and to prevent wider global conflict is at a point where we are now approaching essentially a European Defence Union where the level of militarization in the European Union and you shake your head minister at me and at other speakers excuse me these are not scare stories it is not misinformation or scare stories. Sorry stop the clock please minister the deputy must have her time but you can address that you you have ten minutes of closing but you can minister sorry this is not the way to address it there is a format to minister you're not listening the rules are the rules you have ten minutes to address it at the end of the debate continue deputy please. I am the people of Ireland and I am frightened by the level of militarization that the European Union is pursuing the fact that the multi-annual financial framework has pivoted towards rewarding arms manufacturers over small to medium businesses the fact that the countries who are going to most benefit from that are the biggest countries in Europe who have those weapons industries it is so far removed from the social cohesion and promotion of democracy that this union was started for of course I am afraid of course I am fearful and it is absolutely right that we call it out because what this government's version of European Union membership is is to blindly follow that to go with your EPP and your renew groupings vision of what this European Union should be and instead we could be a vital voice we are one of only 27 members of this union and we could be a vital voice that same voice that we heard in John Hume that talks about the peace and solidarity and cohesion and democracy I was at the EMI launch of their survey yesterday and those values of the European Union were captured as democracy equality rule of law and human rights and it is my opinion minister that we have drifted far from that now in the pursuit of appeasing big business through deregulation across the European Union and through increased militarization and military spending and if that upsets you that I come in here into this tall chamber and say that minister then I'm sorry but you're going to have to deal with it but the final thing that I want to touch on today in my last minute is something that I raised last week and used dismissed as not being relevant to the post European Council statements even though there was a relevant post European Council statement on this is the Irish attack on the ECHR because only a couple of years ago you criticized the UK for their attack on the ECHR and yet only a few months ago now you have joined in that this is the European Convention on Human Rights which has done nothing but bring good for all of the states that sign up to it and this government along with others is happy to start hacking away at it in an attack on separation of powers which I think is just incredible and judicial independence it is politicizing the entire process at a time when we have an active interstate case that is based on the third article of the European Convention on Human Rights and we've had two successful interstate cases before that and when we know that the ECHR is what underpins the Good Friday Agreement and peace on this island so I asked you last week about this minister and you dismissed it but I want to again to be reassured of this government's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court on Human Rights and that it will not pursue the Chisinau process and deteriorate from it.