Lynn Boylan
Member of the European Parliament · The Left · IE
“Trí chuid den chiste a chinntiú do na Ballstáit, cinnteofar go mbeidh rochtain ag an bpobal ar na healaíona agus ar an gcultúr inár bpobail áitiúla. Is fíordheis é seo chun rochtain ar na healaíona agus ar an gcultúr a chinntiú do phobail ar fud na hEorpa.”
“4-0104-0000 Lynn Boylan (The Left), blue-card answer. – My point was that all the people of Europe – our Dublin as an example – need to invest in its culture because culture is so important.”
“Tá creatlach cultúrtha ár mBaile Átha Cliath á creimeadh, costas maireachtála atá ag dul i méid agus géarchéim tithíochta. Níl sé d'acmhainn ag ár n-ealaíontóirí maireachtáil agus oibriú inár gcathair. Táimid ag cailleadh spásanna ealaíne cosúil le 'The Complex' agus tá óstáin ag glacadh seilbhe ar ár gcathair.”
“– Absolutely, our culture is our language, is our life – as we say in Ireland. We absolutely all need to protect the right for people to speak our language – for the Galicians, the Basques, the Catalans and, likewise, for the Irish. In the committees we need to have full derogation of the Irish language. 4-0107-0000”
“Every new wind farm built in Ireland in recent years has gone straight to data centres, has not displaced gas demand and has added hundreds of euros to electricity bills, according to Friends of the Earth research. A recent UN report also called Ireland a cautionary tale. The Electrification Action Plan must listen to Ireland's tale.”
“A Uachtaráin, the electrification plan action will provide a crucial boost for electrification based on renewables across the EU, and electrification will, of course, not only reduce emissions, but also energy bills by reducing our reliance on volatile fossil fuels.”
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“– Absolutely, our culture is our language, is our life – as we say in Ireland. We absolutely all need to protect the right for people to speak our language – for the Galicians, the Basques, the Catalans and, likewise, for the Irish. In the committees we need to have full derogation of the Irish language. 4-0107-0000”
“4-0104-0000 Lynn Boylan (The Left), blue-card answer. – My point was that all the people of Europe – our Dublin as an example – need to invest in its culture because culture is so important. I thought somebody on the right would understand how important it is to protect our culture and to invest EU funding in cultural spaces for everybody who lives in our countries. 4-0105-0000 Ana Miranda Paz (Verts/ALE), Pergunta segundo o procedimento «cartão azul». – A senhora deputada fala em gaélico aqui, uma cultura do seu povo. Nós queremos também falar nas nossas línguas: em catalão, em basco e em galego. Considera a Senhora Deputada uma boa medida podermos, representantes de diferentes povos, falar nas nossas línguas como a Senhora Deputada fala? 4-0106-0000 Lynn Boylan (The Left), blue-card answer.”
“Trí chuid den chiste a chinntiú do na Ballstáit, cinnteofar go mbeidh rochtain ag an bpobal ar na healaíona agus ar an gcultúr inár bpobail áitiúla. Is fíordheis é seo chun rochtain ar na healaíona agus ar an gcultúr a chinntiú do phobail ar fud na hEorpa. (Ghlac an cainteoir le roinnt ceisteanna cárta ghoirm) 4-0103-0000 Cristian Terheş (ECR), blue-card question. – It's sad to hear that in Ireland, artists cannot properly perform – in Dublin, for example. But you are claiming or asking that somehow the EU or the European Commission should do something to help your country. But what about your government? Isn't it the job of the national government to deal with these kind of issues? How do you think the European Commission can better take care of the artists in Ireland than your own government?”
“Tá creatlach cultúrtha ár mBaile Átha Cliath á creimeadh, costas maireachtála atá ag dul i méid agus géarchéim tithíochta. Níl sé d'acmhainn ag ár n-ealaíontóirí maireachtáil agus oibriú inár gcathair. Táimid ag cailleadh spásanna ealaíne cosúil le 'The Complex' agus tá óstáin ag glacadh seilbhe ar ár gcathair. Tá an suíomh stairiúil is tábhachtaí sa chathair Sráid an Mhúraigh á scriosadh. Cén fáth? Ar mhaithe le hinfheisteoirí maoine tráchtála? Tá spásanna tuillte ag muintir Bhaile Átha Cliath inar féidir rath a bheith ar na healaíona agus ar an gcultúr. Tá sé de cheart ag gach duine taitneamh a bhaint as cultúr agus cruthaitheacht, agus a bheith cruthaitheach. Tá leasuithe curtha síos agam ar chlár AgoraEU.”
“Every new wind farm built in Ireland in recent years has gone straight to data centres, has not displaced gas demand and has added hundreds of euros to electricity bills, according to Friends of the Earth research. A recent UN report also called Ireland a cautionary tale. The Electrification Action Plan must listen to Ireland's tale. Data centres and EU AI policy must not jeopardise our electrification goals. Today, the president of the European Data Centre Association said the quiet part out loud: the EU needs more gas because, while policymakers believe the grids, batteries and nuclear will be ready in time, we all know that that won't happen. 3-0301-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, the electrification plan action will provide a crucial boost for electrification based on renewables across the EU, and electrification will, of course, not only reduce emissions, but also energy bills by reducing our reliance on volatile fossil fuels. Of course, we should be electrifying end users where possible, but, at the same time, we need policy coherence so as not to create barriers to electrification. In Ireland, data centres are eating up electricity. They will soon account for 30% of Irish electricity demand, and the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council has already warned that data centres are cannibalising our renewables.”
“So we need public funding and grid investment and it must prioritise households and essential services and not the corporate lobbyists. 3-0314-0000”
“Madam President, tackling poverty is the key to healthy, thriving communities, to safe communities, to social cohesion. But failure to combat poverty pits marginalised groups against each other. It prevents children from fulfilling their potential. That means lifelong consequences for them. Fighting poverty requires the same urgency that this Commission applies to its militarisation agenda. 320 000 households in Ireland are in energy arrears. Disconnections continue to rise. Eviction levels are higher than they have been during the famine. People need investment. They need investment in housing. They need investment in energy infrastructure, in cheap renewables. But families should not be made to carry the burden of the transition.”
“We need Global South permanent seats for Global South countries on the Security Council. And crucially, we need to give more power to the General Assembly. 2-0493-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, the United Nations was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. It was not born out of a naive idealism, but out of the horrors of the Second World War and a realisation by the survivors that humanity's best possible hope was cooperation and multilateralism. And as the United States and Israel plunged the world into instability and attacked the UN, we need countries to stand up for the UN system and international law. And the EU's failure to take any action to stop the genocide in Gaza and to hold countries like Israel accountable, is actively undermining the UN system. We need to see the UN processes actually supported and implemented, for example, the self-determination referendum in Western Sahara. The UN needs real reform. We need an end to the veto.”
“How are the workers expected to pay their rent in a city already experiencing a housing crisis and record-breaking rents? This is the height of disregard and disrespect, and I implore the Irish Government to find a solution, like it did during the last presidency, 13 years ago. Save these jobs! Save the Silk Road! 1-0245-0000”
“Mr President, in July, the Irish Government will take over the EU presidency. This should be an occasion for the Irish Government to lead on international law, defend Irish neutrality, lead on a united Ireland and tackle the cost of energy. Instead, it looks like the legacy of the Irish Presidency will be the closure of a business and the unemployment of workers. The Silk Road Café is a much-loved establishment that was due to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It's located in Dublin Castle, is run by Abraham Phelan and employs 25 staff – some of whom have worked for the café for 20 years. They have now been told that they must close for six months to facilitate the presidency. How can any business survive being closed for six months with no notice, no compensation, never mind in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?”
“Fuel protests have already shut down Ireland, and the protests will spread across Europe if leaders fail to stand up for their citizens, if they fail to hold rogue states to account, if they fail to end their dependence on fossil fuels, fail to break the link between gas and renewables, and fail to rein in the corporate greed and tax the windfall profits. 3-0029-0000”
“Mr President, colleagues, there is now no doubt that Israel and the United States represent the greatest threat to global security and are a risk to social cohesion right across Europe. They have caused the worst oil and gas crisis in history, and for the cost of living in the EU to skyrocket. Israel and the United States are carrying out illegal wars, bombing school children, hunting and killing journalists and paramedics, and targeting our UN peacekeepers. And meanwhile, ordinary citizens in Europe look on aghast, not only at the tearing‑up of international law, but also at their own governments and EU institutions who seem to treat the energy crisis as a natural disaster and not as a direct consequence of US and Israeli actions.”
“Citizens across Europe are watching in horror as EU governments sacrifice hard‑won rights and liberties in order to protect themselves and the Israeli Government from criticism. And the question has to be asked: who is this for? Because it is not for the European citizens, but instead it's to protect Israel and Netanyahu's accomplices here in Europe. 2-0348-0000”
“Mr President, a chairde, as we debate this report, civil liberties in Europe are clearly under attack. Many Member States are attacking the right to protest and the right to express solidarity with the Palestinian people. We have seen artists censored for expressing solidarity. We have seen ordinary citizens beaten off the streets for protesting Israel's genocide in Gaza. We have seen the weaponisation of the charge of antisemitism to chill criticism of Israel. Member States like Germany and France have taken stronger actions against those protesting or engaging in civil disobedience than they have against the Israeli Government, a government that has legalised racialised capital punishment, that has further entrenched their apartheid regime and has committed genocide against the Palestinian people.”
“I think we need to also invest. So while we need to restrict the nitrous oxide sales, we also need to invest in our working-class communities. We need to invest in providing community services for young people so that they have alternatives to using nitrous oxide. So you're right: this action that we're calling for today won't address the systemic problem of inequality that we have in society. 4-0165-0000”
“(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question) 4-0163-0000 Lukas Sieper (NI), blue-card question. – Thank you, colleague. I lived in a neighbourhood before I came to the European Parliament, where there was a lot of use of this drug and it was a very poor neighbourhood, while I myself come from a quite rich family. I have never seen the remains, as our colleague described, of laughing gas in the richer areas, but they stack up in the streets of the poorer areas. Why do you think that this drug is more used by those in society who do not have much in comparison to those who are wealthy? 4-0164-0000 Lynn Boylan (The Left), blue-card answer. – Well, I do come from a working-class background in Tallaght in south-west Dublin and, unfortunately, you're right that it is in working-class areas that we see a lot more nitrous oxide canisters.”
“This week, we heard how Ireland was a leader when it came to introducing Coco's Law. I think, again, Ireland has the opportunity to become a European leader in regulating the sale of nitrous oxide. My Sinn Féin colleague, Mark Ward, has proposed legislation that would restrict its sale to authorised users, while banning the sale of nitrous oxide to under 18s. Unfortunately, the Irish Government has chosen to delay this legislation. Every week that nitrous oxide goes unregulated, the damage to young people's health, worker safety and our environment increases. So, it is unfathomable why Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will not act now to protect young people and progress the sale of nitrous oxide bill while we await our Commission colleagues to bring forward their proposals.”
“A Uachtaráin, I do welcome this important discussion on nitrous oxide. The so‑called laughing gas we know is a growing threat to public health and young people are particularly impacted. Nitrous oxide canisters with sweet flavours are being marketed at children. Inhaling nitrous oxide, as others have said, can cause sensory issues, heart problems, mental health issues and even long‑term spinal cord injuries. Added to this, we do have the littering, the greenhouse gas emissions from the nitrous oxide, the cost of the waste management and the risk to worker safety when they explode in waste processing centres. So, it is promising that the Commission is working on the EU‑wide restriction, but at national level, we can also have practical laws to manage access to nitrous oxide.”
“So the EU has already recognised the danger of investor courts and has withdrawn from the Energy Charter Treaty because they accept that these courts undermine public policy, particularly on climate action. Yet the report before us ignores the real concerns of citizens right across Europe that their public money will be used for huge payouts to multinationals. I urge colleagues to vote against this report. 2-0479-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, it's very clear that the current trade turmoil is being cynically exploited to push through the investor court system that is in CETA, and we see this happening now with the Irish Government, one of the ten who hasn't ratified CETA, who are advancing legislation to introduce investor courts. If Canada is such a reliable partner, that colleagues have talked about tonight, if Canada is almost like an EU country, why then do we need investor courts between us? Investor courts are undemocratic bodies established to serve the interests of multinational corporations and undermine the right to regulate. The Global ISDS Tracker has highlighted that more than USD 100 billion of public money has been awarded to private investors in investor courts, with the bulk of those going to fossil fuel companies.”
“The EU must work to end this conflict and must hold to account those who are arming and fuelling this conflict, and this includes the United Arab Emirates, with whom the Commission seem content to begin negotiations around a free trade agreement, and whom this Parliament lacked the courage to criticise in our last resolution on Sudan. Human rights should be non-negotiable, but more and more it seems that the EU is willing to trade those human rights away. 2-0356-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, on Saturday, an RSF drone attack murdered at least 24 people, including eight children, in the North Kordofan province. These people were refugees fleeing war and a humanitarian catastrophe, but this is only the latest in a series of drone attacks on humanitarian convoys, as violence in Sudan continues to escalate following the massacre at El-Fasher in October. Right now, Sudan's health system is on the brink of collapse, and an estimated 33.7 million people – around two thirds of the population – are expected to need humanitarian assistance in 2026.”
“A Uachtaráin, tá daoine ar fud na hEorpa buailte ag tionchar an athraithe aeráide, go háirithe de bharr drochaimsir. In Éirinn, i mo thoghcheantair i mBaile Átha Cliath, tá pobail buailte ag tuilte tubaisteacha. Gabhaim comhbhrón ó chroí leo siúd a ndearnadh damáiste dá dtithe. Ní mór dúinn beart a dhéanamh chun damáiste na dtuilte a laghdú amach anseo. Tá réitigh dhúlra‑bhunaithe á n‑úsáid ag go leor tíortha cheana féin. In Éirinn, ní mór dúinn ár ndearcadh i leith cosaintí ar thuilte a athrú. Ní mór dúinn breathnú ar an abhainnchóras ina iomláine agus oibriú leis an dúlra. Leis seo, beimid in ann dul in oiriúint don athrú aeráide agus tithe daoine a chosaint. 1-0218-0000”
“Trump is charging countries who want a permanent seat at the table USD 1 billion. This is not a peace process, it is colonial rule by mercenaries.”
“A Uachtaráin, I voted in favour of this report. However, one of the most fundamental human rights which this report does not cover is the right to self-determination. For the Palestinian people, we consistently see that right ignored by the EU and other global powers. Trump's so-called 'Board of Peace' is more a blatant form of colonial rule in Gaza: there are no Palestinians on this board, and we have the likes of Tony Blair, Jared Kushner and now a man with an ICC arrest warrant out for him, Benjamin Netanyahu. The man responsible for the genocide is on a 'board of peace'. This is colonial plundering and the EU has said nothing. Self-determination for the Palestinian people is non-negotiable: the people of Gaza have survived over two years of Israeli genocide and are now being forced to suffer a new coloniser.”
“(A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f I TC "17.3 - Os direitos humanos e a democracia no mundo e a política da União Europeia nesta matéria – relatório anual de 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f J TC "17.3 - Drepturile omului și democrația în lume și politica Uniunii Europene în acest domeniu – raport anual pe 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f K TC "17.3 - Ľudské práva a demokracia vo svete a politika Európskej únie v tejto oblasti – výročná správa za rok 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f L TC "17.3 - Človekove pravice in demokracija v svetu ter politika Evropske unije na tem področju – letno poročilo za leto 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f M TC "17.3 - Ihmisoikeudet ja demokratia maailmassa ja Euroopan unionin toiminta tällä alalla – vuosikertomus 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f N TC "17.3 - Mänskliga rättigheter och demokrati i världen och Europeiska unionens politik på området – årsrapport 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f OHuman rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis) 3-0576-0000”
“évi éves jelentés (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f F TC "17.3 - Id-drittijiet tal-bniedem u d-demokrazija fid-dinja u l-politika tal-Unjoni Ewropea dwar il-kwistjoni – rapport annwali 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f G TC "17.3 - Mensenrechten en democratie in de wereld en het beleid van de Europese Unie op dit gebied – jaarverslag 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f H TC "17.3 - Prawa człowieka i demokracja na świecie oraz polityka Unii Europejskiej w tym zakresie – sprawozdanie roczne za 2025 r.”
“(A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f B TC "17.3 - Diritti umani e democrazia nel mondo e politica dell'Unione europea in materia – relazione annuale 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f C TC "17.3 - 2025. gada ziņojums par cilvēktiesībām un demokrātiju pasaulē un Eiropas Savienības politiku šajā jomā (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f D TC "17.3 - Žmogaus teisės ir demokratija pasaulyje ir Europos Sąjungos politika šioje srityje. 2025 m. metinis pranešimas (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f E TC "17.3 - Az emberi jogok és a demokrácia helyzete a világban és az Európai Unió ezzel kapcsolatos politikája – 2025.”
“aasta aruanne (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 6 TC "17.3 - Ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα και δημοκρατία στον κόσμο και πολιτική της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης στον τομέα αυτό – ετήσια έκθεση 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 7 TC "17.3 - Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 8 TC "17.3 - Les droits de l’homme et la démocratie dans le monde et la politique de l’Union européenne en la matière – rapport annuel 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 9 TC "17.3 - Cearta an duine agus an daonlathas ar domhan agus beartas an Aontais Eorpaigh i leith an ábhair – tuarascáil bhliantúil 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f A TC "17.3 - Ljudska prava i demokracija u svijetu i politika Europske unije u tom području – godišnje izvješće za 2025.”
“17.3 TC "17.3 - Правата на човека и демокрацията по света и политиката на Европейския съюз в тази област – годишен доклад за 2025 г. (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 1 TC "17.3 - Derechos humanos y democracia en el mundo y política de la Unión Europea al respecto: informe anual 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 2 TC "17.3 - Lidská práva a demokracie ve světě a politika Evropské unie v této oblasti – výroční zpráva za rok 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 3 TC "17.3 - Menneskerettigheder og demokrati i verden og Den Europæiske Unions politik på området – årlig betænkning 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 4 TC "17.3 - Menschenrechte und Demokratie in der Welt und die Politik der Europäischen Union in diesem Bereich – Jahresbericht 2025 (A10-0262/2025 - Francisco Assis)" \f 5 TC "17.3 - Inimõigusi ja demokraatiat maailmas ning Euroopa Liidu poliitikat selles valdkonnas käsitlev 2025.”
“A Uachtaráin, tar éis a bheith ag éisteacht leis an díospóireacht aréir, dhéanfaí dearmad go bhfuil tíortha neodracha san Aontas nach bhfuil fonn ar bith orthu a bheith páirteach sa chlár oibre míleata nó in NATO. Is tír neodrach í Éire agus tá an neodracht sin á creimeadh ag gníomhaíochtaí an Aontais. Tá an Coimisiún meáite ar an aontacht shóisialta a chreimeadh agus méideanna ollmhóra den airgead poiblí a dhíriú ar thionscal na n-arm. Teastaíonn Eoraip shóisialta uainn atá tiomanta don fhíoraontacht shóisialta a thógáil. Teastaíonn Aontas Eorpach uainn atá dílis do bhunphrionsabail an iltaobhachais agus chothú na síochána. Tá neodracht na hÉireann fite fuaite inár streachailt rith go líne ar son an neamhspleáchais agus ar son aontacht na hÉireann. Tuigimid go maith an domhan ina nglaonn neart ceart.”
“And as for the Irish Government, they need to kick the US military out of Shannon and defend Ireland's neutrality and protect international law. 2-0431-0000”
“Madam President, the actions of the United States and Venezuela just illustrate the broader imperialistic stance of Donald Trump and his cronies towards Latin America. The reality is that they have kidnapped the Venezuelan Head of State and his wife, and have killed 83 civilians in the process. The actions of the United States are illegal under international law, and they are a thinly veiled attempt to engage in a large-scale resource grab in Venezuela. This is not about human rights, it's about oil and protecting power in the region. The EU's à la carte approach to international law is once again on display, and the failure of the EU to condemn the actions of Donald Trump is pure cowardice. Only the Venezuelans should have the right to decide on their future. The EU must stand against US imperialism everywhere it rears its ugly head.”
“When I challenged this, I was told that the EU rules mean that homes could not be prioritised even in a housing crisis – this is madness and it must change. System operators like the Electricity Supply Board must be able to have the discretion to put housing before data centres, and I hope that the grid package will deliver on this reform. 1-0277-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, in Ireland, thousands of much-needed new homes have been blocked from connecting to the electricity grid by data centres. Earlier this year, because of information requests that I made, I was able to reveal that the Minister for Energy had been warned that data centres would jeopardise the housing targets by taking up all the remaining spare capacity on the electricity grid. This was as a result of a first-come, first-serve policy, which ultimately favours big corporations with deep pockets, allowing them to secure grid access for their speculative projects while blocking desperately needed housing projects – this at a time when Ireland faces record levels of homelessness.”
“This regulation is corporate capture personified, and I urge colleagues, for the sake of democracy and the citizens we represent, to vote against it. I would also remind colleagues in this House that I come from a country that is militarily neutral, so we do not want a European army, the EU is not a member of NATO, and let that not be forgotten. We are a neutral state and deserve respect. 2-0068-0000”
“Madam President, the EDIP regulation is another giveaway to the arms industry, but this time we're not only giving them taxpayers' money, but we're also sacrificing our environmental and workers' rights protections, in order that weapons companies can make even more money. This regulation, as others have said, steamrolls over the Habitats Directive, water quality legislation and the Working Time Directive. The proposed defence security of supply board is an undemocratic front for the arms industry, who are being handed a huge amount of power with zero accountability. Let us be very clear: the top 100 arms companies are earning more money every single year. They earned USD 632 billion in 2023 alone. This proposal is an attempt to give them even more money and more power as they destroy our planet.”
“The Irish Government seems unable to stand up and say 'no' to corporate courts, they have not withdrawn from the Energy Charter Treaty and are now facing a case from Predator Oil & Gas. So the Irish people will always say 'no' to CETA and 'no' to the corporate courts. 1-0255-0000”
“Madam President, today, ten countries have not ratified the CETA trade agreement. Yet the Irish Government is getting ready to bring forward amendments to its Arbitration Act to ratify CETA and effectively bring investor courts to Ireland. Ratifying CETA and introducing investor courts so that large multinationals can sue our countries would be a disaster for housing, for climate, for workers' rights, for public health, and so much more. All of the free-trade elements of CETA have been in effect for years, all that remains are the dangerous corporate courts. Why are the Irish Government so hellbent on introducing corporate kangaroo courts that ordinary citizens cannot access? These courts have awarded sums exceeding USD 100 million in more than a quarter of all cases won by the corporations.”
“We cannot have Israeli politicians coming into this House when they refuse to allow the politicians who are elected to this institution to do their job. 1-0041-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, I rise to make a point of order under Rules 2 and 229 of our Rules of Procedure. As Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Palestine, I have been banned by the Israeli authorities for five years. Three members of the delegation are now blocked from participating in their mandate and from going on missions to Palestine. There have also been defamatory comments made about myself by Israeli authorities and about civil servants who work for this institution. All of this is a deliberate attempt by the Israeli Government to frustrate the work of the delegation, which is a part of this institution, and it is an insult to the institution. Therefore I am asking you, President Metsola, to please make a public statement condemning this ban by Israel and also to take reciprocal actions.”
“A Uachtaráin, tá COP30 againn ag tráth cinniúnach dár ndaoine agus dár bpláinéad agus teochtaí domhanda ag ardú agus tubaistí aeráide ag dul i méid. Tá na fórsaí brabúis ag iarraidh fíorghníomhú ar son na haeráide a chur dá dtreo. Ní mór dúinn labhairt faoin gceist seo a bhfuil geis uirthi - an tionscal airm. Agus cumhacht an tionscail airm san Eoraip ag dul i méid, ná déanaimis dearmad go ndéanann siad brabús ar an mbás agus go bhfuil siad freagrach as géarchéim na haeráide agus as scriosadh an chomhshaoil. Is ionann astaíochtaí míleata domhanda agus 5.5% d'fhostaíocht dhomhanda, gan coinbhleacht armtha féin a chur san áireamh. Tá tionscal arm na hEorpa agus a thacadóirí sa seomra seo ag iarraidh feall a dhéanamh ar ár bpláinéid agus ar ár ngníomhaíocht ar son na haeráide.”
“So it is outrageous that Ireland – the highest concentration of data centres in Europe – has failed so badly at even basic reporting. Not only are they worsening emissions and driving up energy costs, they are now preventing housing from being connected to the grid. I would urge colleagues to be wary of encouraging data centres onto your grids. 1-0177-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, Ireland's energy system should serve as a cautionary tale to others in the EU, because 20 years ago, Ireland had one of the lowest energy costs in the EU, and today we have some of the highest. And why is that? It is because government after government has chased the big tech and data centres to establish themselves in Ireland. Not just have they led to increasing energy costs, there is also a moral cost to this. Microsoft's Irish data centres were sucking our grid dry and they were powering cloud and AI systems used by Israel's war machine to facilitate the genocide in Gaza. Data centres also take up a huge toll on the environment. The EU conducted an official assessment of the sustainability of Irish data centres, and only 1 in 6 of those centres even bothered reporting.”
“The tariff war should instead be used to reset trade politics that delivers for people, communities, and social and environmental progress. And it also hasn't gone unnoticed that the Commission is trying to exploit the crisis to plough ahead with deals that have widespread public opposition – deals like Mercosur or those that contain corporate courts, like CETA, and have been found to be unconstitutional in Ireland. 3-0267-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, the EU must not take reactionary measures to what is an extremely volatile presidency that's hell-bent on enriching the billionaires around him. So standing firm is just as important as any countermeasures. The EU needs to hold its nerve. Trump and the US cannot be allowed to dictate laws to the rest of the world. His latest announcements on pharmaceuticals are deeply concerning for workers in Ireland, and they will only hurt families and workers. It is important not to bow to bullies, and I would call on Ireland to resist the pressure and the baseless accusations that are being levelled at it from the US Administration for upholding international law and enacting the Occupied Territories Bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements.”
“Solidarity with Palestine is being criminalised and the EU is sacrificing its civil liberties to support Israel. But Palestinian solidarity grows stronger every day. The people won't be silenced. The people are demanding suspension of trade with Israel. The people are demanding sanctions against Israel. The people are demanding an end to their complicity with Israel's war crime and its genocide, and they are demanding that their EU leaders act and listen to them. 2-0370-0000 Spontane Wortmeldungen 2-0371-0000”
“A Uachtaráin, we're now at a point where gunning down hungry people as they desperately try to get aid is a daily occurrence. There was international shock the first time, but just like with the bombing of the first hospital, when there are no consequences for Israel, they are emboldened and they carry on. 700 Palestinians have now been slaughtered at aid sites; baby formula is blocked. They are literally starving babies to death, and still the EU does not act. In fact, instead of holding Israel to account, President von der Leyen has Netanyahu, a war criminal, on speed dial, and she's actively encouraging him to carry out Illegal strikes on Iran. There is more outrage from EU leaders about artists calling out a genocide than there is against those who are actually carrying out that genocide.”