Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-18 ============================================================ Alice-Mary Higgins (IND), National University of Ireland I welcome all the MEPs. I will begin by supporting Senator Murphy’s point on the theme of peace. The theme of peace and active neutrality should be something that is central to Ireland’s Presidency. We have had huge benefit in knowledge and learning on what actual peace building looks like. It is not simply about military security but things like Resolution 1325 on the role of women, recognising social cohesion funding, which is sadly being cut in the European Union in order to redirect it for military purposes. Things like social cohesion and Resolution 1325 are part of what peace building is. Neutrality is not ambivalent; I do not think anyone suggests it would be. Active neutrality means you are applying the same principles to all; that your actions are not based on interest but on values and that international law applies to all. I would urge that another theme, where Ireland could really contribute, could be on international law and a recommitment to that being part of the Irish Presidency. Sadly, whether areas like protecting the International Criminal Court or ensuring that international law is properly reflected in relation to Palestine when it is not in terms of the ICJ, the EU loses really important credibility. Ireland could strengthen that and drive a recommitment to international law, as well as international engagement in areas such as international aid because that is part of Ireland's proud legacy. I was one of four parliamentarians who were part of the Future of Europe project. I am very sad when I look at it now. There has been a losing of the way from what was there in that Future of Europe process. What I heard from citizens, not just from Ireland but 800 citizens right across Europe, was what they valued about Europe were things like its standards. It raised the bar on equality, on the environment, on digital regulation, crucially, and on employment standards. It raised the bar constantly. That is what they valued. They also valued the diversity of Europe, fundamental human rights and Europe's record in protecting those across all genders and races. Yet, those aspects are what are being undercut right now. I would like some of the MEPs who are on the finance committees to talk about how moneys are being redirected, sadly, away from the things that are valued, such as social cohesion and the LIFE programme, and being pushed into €800 billion in military weapons. Hungary has been mentioned a lot. There have been loans of €16 billion for Hungary to buy armaments, which may or may not include cluster munitions. We have not had assurances on that. I am very concerned about that direction of focus within the EU budgetary process, the simplification narrative and the removal of standards through omnibus legislation, which is moving fast and undercutting a lot of what all of us are proud of in Europe. I am worried that we may not be minding the past or properly minding the future. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-18/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-02-18