Billy Kelleher
Member of the European Parliament · Renew · IE
“Madam President, fairness and burden‑sharing should be at the heart of the common fisheries policy, if we were truly to live in a European Union where we try to treat all citizens and all sectors fairly.”
“Migratory patterns of fish species are changing dramatically due to global warming and temperature rises and seas, and yet there has been no solid review of quota allocation and new quota allocation because of changing fishing patterns.”
“Mr President, humanitarian aid has been weaponised and politicised, 90 % of Gaza destroyed, 60 % of Gaza occupied, continual encroachments into the West Bank, aggressive actions by settlers being facilitated by the Netanyahu government and the Israeli Defence Forces.”
“A Uachtaráin, ar son mé féin agus fhoireann Fhianna Fáil, cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. Mar is eol do chách, is cara pearsanta é an Taoiseach. Táimid inár gcairde le beagnach 40 bliain. Guím gach rath ort, a Thaoisigh, agus tú ag tosú ar d'uachtaránacht.”
“We must get real when it comes to the budget and that means being honest about the level of funding needed to sustain a dynamic, progressive and ambitious Union. We must get real about the threats facing us and invest in our defences.”
“Mr President, this time last year, there was great uncertainty and volatility across Europe and great concern by workers and small and medium-sized businesses.”
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Every one of 165 lines we hold for Billy Kelleher, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 4.
“Madam President, 'we have reached the point where, without action, we will have to either compromise our welfare, our environment or our freedom'. They were the words of Mario Draghi when he published his 400-page document on revitalising Europe. Firstly, I want to thank you, Mr Šefčovič, for at least living up to the commitment of the Commission to publish their first 100-day plan in office, and I hope that the promises that are in this will be delivered efficiently and effectively. Your Work Programme is, in fact, what most of us would call a programme for government. Your commitments to the people of the European Union, that's your plan for reform and revitalisation of the Union's economy. And of course, as MEPs, we all want you to do well.”
“And yet we had countries that are willing to allow Prime Minister Netanyahu to fly into their country, publicly said, flouting the very principle of obligating Member States here to comply with and support international law. And it's not just President Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is many others as well. That is simply unacceptable, and the Council has an obligation to uphold and defend the integrity of international law. 2-0509-0000”
“Madam President, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice and international law are not optional extras, and unfortunately, in this Chamber and in the Council and in the Commission, we have for a period of time been turning a blind eye to the fact that we obviously regularly ignore the will of the international courts. Not only do we not support their workings: we don't even support their findings. In several areas in international law we have consistently ignored their findings. And if we talk about the rule of law in this Chamber, if we talk about the rule of law in terms of the Council and the Commission, well, we're obligated to stand by the principles on which those courts were founded and support international law. Reference has been made to Prime Minister Netanyahu. He has been cited.”
“I have to say that our manner on this has been shameful, and we ought to ensure that we stand by our original proposals of a two-state solution, protecting the security and the right for Israel to exist, and also for Palestine, Gaza and the West Bank to live in security and independence as well. That is our stated policy, and it should be time that the Commission and the Council stand up and voice that particular position. 2-0343-0000”
“Mr President, we're talking about a comprehensive EU Middle East strategy. Well, first and foremost, we must have a strategy around the issue of Israel and Palestine, and today the European Union simply does not have a strategy. It has been dishonest in its approach: it says on the one hand that it supports a two-state solution. Yet, over the last number of days since President Trump announced that he was going to annex financially Gaza and make it into a riviera, there has been no commentary from the Commission. Zero. Same from the Council. Our leadership across Europe has gone blind to the fact that the Palestinian people have now been told by the United States – and by Europe, by its complicity in its silence – that Palestine has no right to exist. And yet we say that we are supporting the two-state solution.”
“We all know that longer term, there is no benefit in a trade war. It won't benefit the workers in European factories, and it won't benefit those in American companies either. 2-0070-0000 SĒDI VADA: ROBERTS ZĪLE Priekšsēdētāja vietnieks 2-0071-0000”
“And what I find extraordinary is those that were advocating for President Trump and Elon Musk and all during the last number of months, will they be the same people that will arrive in the car factories in Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic and elsewhere telling them why they are laying off workers due to the fact of tariffs on European products, on European manufacturing? Because, simply, tariffs will ensure that European industries will struggle. And equally, from an American perspective, they will equally struggle in America. So longer term, a trade war is of no benefit either to Europe or the US itself. I would urge the Commission that in drafting up its proposed retaliatory measures, that I would look at it strategically, but that they would also continue to engage. Continue to engage, Commissioner.”
“Madam President, a very important debate here today in the Chamber. Certainly, we don't want a situation where we make decisions on ideological views about whether we like President Trump or dislike him. But we must do it strategically. And obviously, Europe has to stand firm in the potential threats of tariffs and tax changes. But from our perspective, we have to ensure that whatever tariffs we put in place, that we don't do collateral damage to our own industries.”
“So while I welcome the commitments at the COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, especially regarding the financial commitments from both the public and private sector, we do need to ensure that we make a common effort to bring forward the challenges regarding drought and the protocols with regard to tackling the same. If we are going to halt this runaway train, we need to have a common, coherent plan for tackling drought and that involves governments, businesses, local people, scientists and engineers. 4-0021-0000”
“The consequences are far-reaching: humanitarian, migration, environmental problems, food and water security, political stability or political instability, for global security, for trade and supply chains there are significant challenges. And each of these consequences will have an impact also on Europe and the daily lives of our citizens. We cannot reverse the problems in the very short term, but we have to plan and we must make real collective efforts to halt its spread and to address its long-term implications.”
“Mr President, as I stand here, my home country of Ireland is preparing to be battered by one of the strongest storms in decades. And if you look at the weather forecasts across Europe, there's rain in many areas. So it's a concept that is very hard to understand when we sometimes speak about desertification. But, in reality, the scale of this problem – the desertification – should be everyone's concern. It affects the land of homes to 1.5 billion people. The UN estimates that 135 million people have already been displaced due to desertification, and this could rise to 700 million by 2050. This land is also important agricultural land, and the UN estimates that 40 % of agricultural land has already been degraded.”
“And sometimes, on the right, I hear people championing Trump, but equally, I'd like them to stand in front of their own citizens and say that in the event of Trump withdrawing from NATO, either directly or funding, taxes in their countries will go up, the threat to their countries will increase. So very clearly, those that do trumpet Trump should also be very conscious of the potential consequences of President Trump if he does renege on his security commitments to date in the areas of NATO funding directly, and also military support. 2-0236-0000”
“Mr President, the Trump presidency will be disruptive and will be unpredictable in the areas of tax, trade and security, so we need to accept that and deal with it. We need to maintain dialogue. There is no point in us being ideologically opposed to the fact that the American people have elected Donald Trump as their president. Both on the left and the right, we need to temper our language to ensure that Europe continues to dialogue with its most important strategic partner. European companies provide huge employment opportunities right across Europe, and we have to ensure that we maintain and protect that, so the areas of tax and trade are of significant importance. American troops died on this continent twice over the last 110 years to save ourselves from ourselves, so it is critically important from a security perspective as well.”
“So Europe must act, while we have this opportunity with a ceasefire, to insist on a political settlement, to ensure that a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood is a priority for this House and right across the EU institutions as well. 1-0068-0000”
“Mr President, after the barbarity of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent invasion of Gaza and the brutality of Israeli attacks on civilians right across Gaza, this ceasefire is welcome – very welcome, but very late. 42 000 people dead and hostages detained in underground cellars across Gaza. We need the hostages out and we need humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately. We need international oversight to ensure that this has been carried out. But ultimately, we need a political settlement. We need a two-state solution proposal, and we need to ensure that Europe acts as an honest broker. It has been inherently dishonest in this debate for many, many years. It simply will not accept that the Palestinian people have a right to statehood, have a right to freedom, and have a right to their own destiny.”