Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament
Seanad Éireann — 2026-09-23
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Malcolm Noonan (GP), Agricultural Panel

I welcome our MEPs, particularly my new Green Party colleague, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. We certainly look forward to the continued merging of the parties over time. I want to take up a point raised by Senator Clonan. It is about the wildfires and heatwaves we have had across Europe. A temperature of 400 C in many of our European cities seems to be the new norm and there is a new acceptance that these are the temperatures we are facing. Over 700,000 ha of land has been burned, literally incinerated, across Europe. There is a food security issue.
There are also challenges around what is happening at a European level on the simplification agenda and what is happening with the potential loss of funding streams like the LIFE multi-annual financial framework, which our MEPs have a responsibility for. I hope they will fight not just Ireland's corner but Europe's corner. If we want to spend money on security, we should spend it on climate and nature. That is where our security lies. Our security lies in our food security and in having clean water, resilient nature and a stable climate. That is something I urge our MEPs to take on board.
My second point relates to Gaza. I share the disappointment expressed yesterday at the UN by Minister, Deputy McEntee, regarding a lack of concerted European action on it. I have deep sympathy for the Irish team, and I know Aodhán is a great follower of the Irish football team, like I am, but I have sympathy for the players and manager. I absolutely do not think they should have been put in the position that they are in. The onus should have been on the FAI. However, the onus should have been at a European level to sanction Israel for its atrocities.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-09-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-23