Natasha Newsome Drennan
Carlow-Kilkenny · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“Rates of TB in the North are far higher than in the South and many outbreaks in the South have been traced back to Northern herds. Farming families are put under immense pressure financially and mentally when they lose a herd to TB. That is heartbreaking.”
“I welcome the chance to speak about the fiscal impact of the long-overdue reunification of Ireland. I also welcome the Tánaiste's speech. It is a pity that more people in the House did not speak up in the same way. For too long a false narrative has been published by those who oppose reunification.”
“We need to ask why the economy in the North lags behind that of the South and, more importantly, how we can fix that. There is no doubt that reunification will bring challenges, but it will also bring immense opportunities. It is time that we started focusing on those.”
“This legislation exists because of the advocacy and commitment of Jason Poole, whose sister was killed by her ex-partner, a man with a documented history of domestic violence. The research clearly shows that individuals with prior records of abuse are significantly more likely to offend, often with escalating severity.”
“I strongly welcome the introduction of the domestic violence register and fully support this Bill. It is encouraging to see cross-party support for its introduction, which is a clear sign that this issue crosses all political divides and demands action. The reality is that domestic violence is seldom a one-off incident.”
“Over the past 25 years, Amber has grown and become a safe haven for many women and children. For far too long, Carlow has been one of the few counties in the State without a women's refuge. Given the rise in calls relating to domestic abuse and cases of domestic abuse, that is nothing short of a disgrace.”
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“We need to ask why the economy in the North lags behind that of the South and, more importantly, how we can fix that. There is no doubt that reunification will bring challenges, but it will also bring immense opportunities. It is time that we started focusing on those.”
“Rates of TB in the North are far higher than in the South and many outbreaks in the South have been traced back to Northern herds. Farming families are put under immense pressure financially and mentally when they lose a herd to TB. That is heartbreaking. It makes no sense that on such a small, well-connected island we have two completely different systems trying to tackle the same problem. It is true that there is a joint project under way, but it is far too limited in the context of how it operates. We need a single, unified and all-island approach. Partition also creates barriers for our agrifood sector and prevents the full potential of a unified economic zone. It leads to higher costs and more bureaucracy for our farmers and producers and adds to the pressures they face. When we talk about a united Ireland, we need to be ambitious.”
“I welcome the chance to speak about the fiscal impact of the long-overdue reunification of Ireland. I also welcome the Tánaiste's speech. It is a pity that more people in the House did not speak up in the same way. For too long a false narrative has been published by those who oppose reunification. Whether in politics or the media, they have used their position of power to scare people off the idea but these are the same people who never cared about the people of the North or those in the Border communities that were forcibly divided. As a farmer, I look at the continued partition of this island and see the damage it is doing to our agricultural sector. Look at the spread of TB among herds. It is a disease that does not recognise artificial borders.”
“Over the past 25 years, Amber has grown and become a safe haven for many women and children. For far too long, Carlow has been one of the few counties in the State without a women's refuge. Given the rise in calls relating to domestic abuse and cases of domestic abuse, that is nothing short of a disgrace. No county should be without a women's refuge.”
“This legislation exists because of the advocacy and commitment of Jason Poole, whose sister was killed by her ex-partner, a man with a documented history of domestic violence. The research clearly shows that individuals with prior records of abuse are significantly more likely to offend, often with escalating severity. While we support this legislation, we will scrutinise its provisions closely to ensure that issues raised during the pre-legislative scrutiny process are fully addressed. These issues include Jason's important concern that three years is far too soon for a person to be removed from the register. In Kilkenny, we are fortunate to have Amber Women's Refuge, which does amazing work in providing care and support for women who are victims of abuse.”
“I strongly welcome the introduction of the domestic violence register and fully support this Bill. It is encouraging to see cross-party support for its introduction, which is a clear sign that this issue crosses all political divides and demands action. The reality is that domestic violence is seldom a one-off incident. If it happens once, it will happen again. That is precisely why a documented history of domestic violence is so crucial. The register will apply to individuals convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner based on a specified list of offences. The register will be publicly accessible via the website of the Courts Service. Importantly, the victim's consent is required before any inclusion on the register and publication.”
“With support from us, she got access Monday to Friday. The answer now is that an ambulance will take her out of the hospital for Saturday and Sunday and bring her to a nursing home and back. This lady has dementia. She is 99 and a half years old. That is shocking in this day and age. How can the Government stand over this carry-on?”
“How is it that this Government still has not implemented a statutory home care scheme? This a scheme the Government made so much noise about when it was announced, and yet here we are with no scheme in place. It needs to be prioritised. This is about ensuring appropriate care at home and, crucially, recognising the varying levels of care and support that people require. The failure to expand home support hours and the failure to recruit more home care assistants mean a crisis is now hitting this sector. In Kilkenny hospital alone, over 3,500 bed days are lost each year due to delayed transfers of care. Simply put, this is because of a chronic shortage of home care assistants in the community. There is a lady in Kilkenny hospital who was admitted on 27 February. Tomorrow, she will have been in hospital for 19 weeks.”
“It is vital that the State takes a proactive approach to supporting those with dementia, ensuring they can remain in their own homes, in the environment they know and where they feel safe and secure, for as long as possible. We must protect their independence for as long as we possibly can. In 2014, the national dementia strategy was published. Over a decade later, little progress has been made. Services remain fragmented and underresourced. We need to see ambition and urgency from the Minister of State, and an updated strategy that will not, like so many others, be left to gather dust on a shelf. It should be a strategy acted upon with the determination this issue demands. Time and again, this Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Government has failed to care for older people, despite warning after warning from report after report.”
“I, too, would like to welcome Cian and Jordan and thank them for everything they have done. They have captured the hearts of everybody. When they were in Kilkenny, the size of the crowd spoke for itself. Well done. It is all in aid of dementia awareness and research. The crowd that turned out for them in Carlow and Kilkenny just speaks a thousand words. Very few of us do not know somebody living with dementia or a family grappling with the daily challenges of caring for a loved one with the condition. Everyday tasks like paying bills, preparing meals, remembering appointments, and getting from place to place become increasingly difficult. More than 64,000 people and their families are living with this as their daily reality, and that number is set to double over the next 20 years.”
“Was it simply a case of profit over public health? If this beef causes health problems, the potential damage to individuals and the State is absolutely enormous.”
“Earlier this year the European Commission announced that Brazilian beef would be removed from the EU food safe list due to high public health risk. Yet rather than act decisively in the interests of public health, the Commission gave Brazil until September to get its house in order. It is now clear it has not done that and is never going to do that. Instead, it has chosen to export beef to Ireland and the EU at volumes we have never seen before. Throughout 2025, 172,000 tonnes Brazilian beef were imported into Ireland. In the first three months of 2026, that figure has already reached 229,000 tonnes, flooding Irish shops and restaurants with a product that is being banned because it risks public health. What was the logic in allowing this beef to continue to be imported into the country up to September?”
“He suffered losses of well over €500,000. He is crippled with debt and struggling in every sense of the word. It was heartbreaking to hear about the ordeal he has been through. To try to make sense of it, and to secure some supports from the State, farmers like this man provide food security but since the flooding, he has been unable to farm, denying us significant yields from prime land. When farmers like him who feed the nation fall on hard times through no fault of their own, the Government fails to stand with them. Worse still, the Government has failed even to apply for EU funding that could have changed this man's life. It begs the question: how many other funding opportunities for our farmers has this Government simply not bothered to pursue?”
“It is now clear that as a result of the climate crisis, we are entering an era of more extreme weather in every sense. Summers are growing relentlessly hotter followed by winters of torrential rain. Earlier this year, we saw first hand the devastating damage from floods across Carlow and Kilkenny. In response to the extreme weather, the EU moved to provide emergency support for farmers who suffered significant damage from adverse climate conditions - €56 million in aid in total. Portugal, due to crop damage from heavy rainfall, is to receive €30 million, Romania and Cyprus are set to receive almost €20 million, and the list goes on. Which country is not on that list? Ireland. Not a single cent of this funding will make its way to our farmers. Last week, I met a man who lost his entire crop of potatoes due to floods.”
“A month ago, a group of people living with Friedreich's ataxia, along with their families, were present in the Dáil as the urgently needed drug Skyclarys was being discussed on Leaders' Questions. It is important to acknowledge the hurt the Taoiseach caused that day when he gave incorrect reasons for why the drug was not on the agenda at the last HSE drugs committee meeting. The group will make the journey to the Dáil again next Tuesday. Will the Taoiseach and Minister make the time to meet with them? Will the drug finally be on the agenda for the drugs group next Tuesday?”
“No parent should have to lie awake at night wondering if their child will have a safe place to call their own when they are gone. The Before We Die campaign laid this bare. A survey of 1,000 families showed that just 2% had a formal housing plan in place for their son or daughter with an intellectual disability. This is not just a policy failure but a human rights failure. Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is crystal-clear that disabled people have the right to live in the community with choices equal to everyone else. The Government signed up to that convention and now needs to honour it. The Minister needs to stop burying her head in the sand. We need an ambitious plan for publicly owned housing, not a profit-driven private model that fails citizens and costs taxpayers dearly.”
“This issue is deeply close to me. For almost 20 years, I worked as a carer for older adults with disabilities. It was always so much more than just a job. In that role, I made life-long friendships with people I supported. To help them live their best life, independently and with dignity, meant so much to me. The harsh reality today is that the State is increasingly failing people with disabilities and their families. We have all sat across from parents in their 60s, 70s and even 80s who are still the primary carers for their adult sons and daughters. They are exhausted, burnt out, and their own health is at risk. Many get little or no respite, but worse than that is the exhaustion and crushing, constant fear of what will happen to their son or daughter when they are no longer there. No parent should ever have to carry that burden.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. While I welcome that there is progress being made, the harsh reality of this is that much of the progress is moving at a snail's pace. Over 2,100 children across the region I live in are on a CDNT waiting list. Almost 1,600 of those children having been on a waiting list for over 12 months. This number just compounds how slow progress is being made. Every day that a child in need is missing out on vital care is causing harm. It is as simple as that, so we need to see faster progress.”
“I know from working with adults with disabilities that if some of the people I supported had received services when they required them, they would be in employment now and leading much different lives. It is too late for them. We need to look after the children now and see more staff in these places.”
“I acknowledge Kilkenny city has bucked the trend and is operating a full staff complement, which is great to see. However, it is a completely different story in south Kilkenny. The team serving Ferrybank, south Kilkenny and Waterford north city has a vacancy rate of 52%. Over half its posts remain unfilled. That is a massive failing for children across these communities. To make matters worse, the planned closure of Carlow College, which provided so many social care courses in the area, is another serious blow to the sector and the region. In Carlow the vacancy rate for the CDNT stands at a staggering 42%. While some areas have made real progress, others have been completely neglected. Will the Department introduce targeted measures for teams like those in Waterford north city and Carlow to tackle the high vacancy rates?”
“This family are absolutely devastated. God knows how long he is going to be on the list. This child does not smile anymore. This is not just about his physical health; this is about children's mental health also. A child should be able to smile.”
“All the while, those in the private sector continue to line their pockets off the back of the Government's incompetency. This Government needs to accept a hard truth: the current system is outdated, chronically under-resourced and simply not fit for purpose. A child should be able to see a dentist when they need one, rather than having to wait until six years down the line. A family that contacted my office were told their child would be waiting six agonising years for dental treatment. With a bit of help, they finally got a notice in March to say he was on the priority list but just last week they were told the funding had run out. His booking was cancelled. They were told the patients on the list from January and half of those from February would be seen. How the money can run out that early in the year is beyond me.”
“I commend my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, for his work on this motion. The numbers speak for themselves. Over 11,000 people, the vast majority of them children, are left suffering on dental treatment waiting lists across the country. The State is failing them, plain and simple, yet what do we see from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael? The same attempt to normalise these shocking delays, just as they have done with the disastrous waiting list for the children seeking an assessment of need. These waiting lists are not just numbers; they are children left suffering. I have spoken to so many parents drowning in stress, feeling that their only option is to go private at crippling personal cost just to get adequate care for their child.”
“This has now been pushed from August to October. Friedreich's ataxia places immense strain on the heart. Emily's cardiac check-up is now delayed far beyond clinical recommendations. That is simply not acceptable. We need adequate resources for these combined ataxia clinics immediately and we need the Taoiseach to correct the Dáil record on what he said last week and acknowledge the profound hurt he has caused those with FA and their families. They deserve better. They deserve action and they deserve it now. When is the next HSE drug group meeting and will they be included on it? If Skyclarys cannot be introduced fast enough, can there be an interim access where they can get it, whether it is through Europe or if there is another way? Every minute, as the Minister knows, it is debilitating for them.”
“Can the HSE simply shut its eyes and pretend it saw nothing? Then we had the Taoiseach stand up here last week and give a different date, adding insult to injury for families already at breaking point. There is no accountability on that side of the House. I have spoken to Emily's family throughout this week. They are devastated. Once again, they have been kicked in the teeth and kicked to the back of the queue. As a mother of four young lads, I find it crippling to see what these parents endure watching their children's health decline while the HSE drags its feet. No parent should have to fight this hard for their child's treatment. Just this week, they got more bad news. The specialist clinic recommended annual visits but, due to resource shortages, it only sees the patients every 18 months.”
“The families have proof but the HSE's response was that while it was submitted on time, it was not opened until after the deadline, and it was, therefore, excluded. What kind of underhand carry-on is this?”
“I strongly welcome this debate on rare diseases. Only last week, I had the privilege of welcoming young adults living with Friedreich's ataxia, FA, to Leinster House. Tragically, they are waiting and watching their conditions deteriorate rapidly, not due to the lack of medical progress but due to what I can only call administrative neglect by the HSE. Skyclarys is a breakthrough drug for those over 16 with FA. It is widely used across European public health systems, yet it remains out of reach here. These families have now endured nearly 700 days of anguish waiting for the HSE to decide on the reimbursement. The paperwork was submitted ahead of the deadline for the last meeting.”
“Ministers arrived for photo opportunities and grand announcements. A sum of €4 million was pledged to repair damaged roads. Here we are in the middle of June and these funds still have not been released to the councils. It is simply unacceptable that the communities across County Carlow are treated with such a lack of respect.”
“The community of Ballytobin has a modest, reasonable ask - no more wind farms until the national wind energy development guidelines are updated. It has been 20 years since they were last revised. Building regulations are updated constantly to keep people safe and ensure best practice so why does the safety of rural communities matter less than that of our houses? We have seen what happens when regulations are not kept up to date; the people and the State end up paying the price. I support this most modest of requests from the community of Ballytobin and I call on the Minister of State to stop stalling and provide updated regulations and guidelines. This climate crisis is not letting up. We are seeing more and more extreme weather across the world. At the start of the year, devastating floods hit County Carlow.”
“I too would like to wish the Minister of State the best in her new post. A single data centre uses as much energy as the entire city of Kilkenny. In the middle of a housing crisis, this Government has prioritised powering data centres faster than powering new homes across Carlow and Kilkenny. Homes are in urgent need but due to lack of infrastructure they cannot proceed. Nearly one quarter of our entire national grid is consumed by these centres. Ordinary families and workers are subsidising multinational profits. That is simply unfair. We now have nearly 100 data centres across the State. At the same time, the Government is rushing to build wind turbines across rural Ireland but much of that energy is wasted because our national grid is simply not fit for purpose.”
“I have four boys at home who absolutely adore sport. What kind of a mother would I be to say, "Yes, these folk are getting away with absolute murder, but the Government and we as people who are elected by the people of Ireland will not stand up and make a stand"? There should be consequences. What are we teaching our children? That you can get away with murder. It is wrong. Stop the game.”
“Has the Government just decided to throw the numerous UN conventions on genocide, the rights of children and apartheid in sport straight out the window? History shows that sporting boycotts work. Banning South Africa from sport helped dismantle apartheid. Just last year, cities refused to host Israel's cycling teams. That crippled Israel's sportswashing in cycling, effectively bringing it to a complete end. Ireland now has a historic opportunity to tell the world we will not treat an apartheid state as an equal by welcoming it here to Dublin. Will we say, "No, Ireland will not stand side by side with an apartheid state"? Most importantly, we have a chance to say to the people of Palestine, "We have not forgotten you and we will never be silent while Israel's brutal system of apartheid continues." Stop the match. Take a stand.”
“The call to stop the Ireland-Israel football match has overwhelming support from the Irish public, yet somehow some Government TDs are trying to paint it as a controversial move. I cannot understand why we need to even think about whether or not it is okay to welcome Israel here. It is an apartheid state that has inflicted mass genocide on the people of Palestine. Let us remember the double standards. When Russia and Belarus invaded Ukraine, it took UEFA and FIFA just four days to ban them, but Israel? Complete inaction. On one hand, our Government tells us Israel is carrying out a genocide; on the other hand, it welcomes Israel's team into our capital city. We have a simple but powerful opportunity here to say no - no to apartheid, no to genocide.”
“That is why having a strong range of courses on offer and giving young people the chance to study near their own communities would be a positive development. It would be great for families and communities.”
“I have heard from staff who do not know whether to stay in the hope of redeployment or to start looking elsewhere. I have also heard from students who are worried about whether their courses can be completed if the staff begin to leave. They deserve clarity, not vague assurances. We should strive to offer a wide range of third level courses in the south east. I have four sons in primary and secondary school. I know from speaking to other parents the worry and anxiety they feel at the thought of their children having to go to Dublin or Cork for a course. The cost is crippling for so many families. The silent sacrifices parents make so often I go unnoticed, but we make them just to give our children opportunities.”
“Over 600 students attend the college, but, critically, 87 staff members now face redundancy over the coming two years. There has been talk of redeployment, but the staff must be central to those talks. They have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that we cannot afford to lose. There has been engagement between Carlow College and SETU. I ask the Department to work alongside the institutions to support a positive outcome for staff and to put supports in place for those who cannot transition to SETU. I would also like to know when the Government became aware of the plan to close Carlow College and whether any attempts were made to keep it open. This is a substantial site and an historic building that cannot be left idle to just rot away. The immense uncertainty hanging over staff and students right now cannot be overstated.”
“I welcome this opportunity to speak about the high standard of skilled workers we have in Ireland and to those students who are coming through our education system right now. This is something we should be very proud of, but it is also an area in respect of which we must be far more ambitious. When it comes to educating our citizens, the sky should be the limit. We need to recognise the achievements of our institutions. We are fortunate to have the South East Technological University, SETU, which has campuses across Waterford, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow and Kilkenny. We also have Carlow College, Ireland's second oldest third level institution, which recently announced that it will wind down operations and that no new students sill be accepted this September. As one can imagine, this is a massive blow for Carlow.”
“I ask the Taoiseach to intervene and request that the Minister meet with these families and those who are suffering. I cannot stress enough how time sensitive this is.”
“I know that the Taoiseach is familiar with those who suffer from Friedreich's ataxia, as it has been raised with him in recent weeks. It is now nearly 700 days and the HSE has still not made a decision on the reimbursement for the drug Skyclarys. Other EU citizens are receiving this transformational drug thanks to support from their governments. Why are the HSE and Irish Government not supporting Irish citizens who urgently need it? At the start of the year, a group of young adults came to the Dáil to tell Members about their ordeal and what they were going through. Emily Felix was one of those people. At the time, she only needed one person to help her. Now, she needs two. I spoke to Emily's mother last night. She and her family feel helpless. The Minister will not meet with them and they are receiving only generic replies.”
“I have heard from far too many people in Carlow and Kilkenny who are experiencing a level of hardship they have never known before, hardship caused by the Government's failure to act. Deputy Kerrane summed things up quite well in what she said about the Minister's amendment. It seems to me that the Government is just not listening.”
“Is it the large property developers and multinationals, like Starbucks and McDonalds, which want to pay less tax? When we look at the measures the Minister's party has put in place, the answer is clear: corporate giants receive generous tax breaks while our most vulnerable citizens do not even receive enough to keep up with inflation. The welfare and treatment of our most vulnerable citizens is the mark of the society we want to achieve. That is not my opinion; that is a measure of our humanity. We need to see this Government act. We need to see it stand with the tens of thousands of people with disabilities and their families who are at the highest risk of poverty and deprivation.”
“Those with a disability and their families cannot afford a repeat of what happened then. They were left disappointed, angered and feeling abandoned by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs as they voted down a motion on an emergency €400 cost-of-living payment for people with disabilities. The Government listened to the personal stories of relentless financial pressure crushing our disabled community and then turned its back. Week after week, we raise these cases. We bring the Government the pleas of people being left behind and yet, it falls on deaf ears. I have to ask the Minister directly; who is this Government championing? Is it the person with a disability who is struggling to survive? Is it a family struggling to find a home or affordable childcare?”
“This evening I want to make it very clear what is at stake. As someone who has spent a significant portion of my adult life working with adults with disabilities, I witnessed the pressures they face. It is not just about heating a home or buying food. It is about the endless hidden costs that the vast majority of people never see. It is about those extra expenses able-bodied people never have to think about; the cost of transport, the need for specialist equipment or how restricted they are, even with transport options. It all adds up to constant, grinding reality. There is a heightened risk of poverty for those living with a disability in this country. Tonight we stand here again speaking on the hidden cost of disability, just as we did a few months ago.”
“I understand the Commission has said the three month delay is to give Brazilian farmers an opportunity to get their house in order. I do not know if the Minister saw the joint report by the IFA and the Irish Farmers' Journal on how brazen and widespread drugs are in Brazilian beef farming. For someone like me from a farming background it is shocking. How the Commission could think the use of banned drugs could be brought under control in a matter of months is beyond me. Once these drugs have been injected into a herd that is it. They are not simply going to fade out of the animals' system. The damage is done and let us not forget that there is no proper tagging or traceability of the herds. I hope we do not see the Commission trying to row back on this decision.”
“If a farm in Kilkenny were found to be using banned antibiotics in its herd, the entire herd would be sealed off and put down due to the risk to public health. However, when Brazilian farms are clearly shown to be using banned drugs they are allowed to continue business as usual for another three months. How is this double standard acceptable? Antimicrobial resistance is projected to directly cause over 1.2 million deaths in 2026, with studies suggesting it contributes to nearly 5 million deaths annually. AMR infections are increasing by up to 15% yearly. The World Health Organization, WHO, classifies antimicrobial resistance as one of the top global public health threats. How can the Minister of State and the Government stand over the sale of Brazilian beef for three more months knowing it poses a risk to public health?”
“I believe I speak for many across Ireland when I say how welcome the European Commission's decision to ban Brazilian beef and other food products is. This is a welcome step. It vindicates the serious concerns we in Sinn Féin have raised along with countless others like the IFA, the Irish Farmers' Journal , the ICMSA, the ICSA and many more regarding public health risks posed by Brazilian beef. However, it is deeply disappointing that when I and other Members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food raised these concerns directly with the Commission, we were flatly ignored. When I raised with the Minister the shocking low levels of testing at 1.7% on Brazilian beef coming into Ireland, my concerns over inadequate testing were dismissed. Let me be clear.”
“We need an end to empty rhetoric from this Government and a genuine commitment to accelerate the delivery of social homes, genuine affordable homes and private homes for purchase.”
“There is a whole generation out there being forced to put their lives on hold, couples who want to start a family and three or four generations living under one roof. Let me be clear. This crisis has happened on the Minister's watch. Not only that, but it has radically worsened on his watch. His blind faith that the market will provide has ensured one thing and one thing only - sky-high profits for developers and shareholders. Rent in Kilkenny and Carlow for new tenancies has hit €1,500 per month. I mentioned the Famine. It is a famine situation in a lot of houses because they cannot afford the rents, and they definitely cannot afford to eat. We have St. Vincent de Paul and others in our communities helping them out. Enough is enough. When will working families finally get a break?”
“I thank Deputy Ó Broin for his work on this Private Members' business. The figures published by the RTB last week are beyond staggering. They are grim and show the highest level of eviction notices since the Famine. I do not know if the Minister fully realises the gravity of the housing crisis. A 51% rise in eviction notices means thousands of people across Ireland find themselves in the horrible position of trying to find a new home. If they are lucky enough to find a place, they will undoubtedly be paying far higher rents than they did before. If they do not, they will be forced to move back in with parents, to emigrate or, worse still, into homelessness. The impact this is having on Irish society cannot be understated.”
“Climate does not respect borders. We need to act collectively, North and South. We must ensure that those we engage with internationally, through trade agreements, are not doing untold damage to our shared environment. Everyone was shocked and horrified by the scenes of complete and utter devastation of the rainforest, which was cleared to create more agricultural land to produce more beef and food products for the EU, China, and the United States. The EU cannot turn a blind eye to destructive acts on the international stage-----”