Victor Boyhan
Agricultural Panel · Independent · Ireland
“It also mentions the agrifood sector and the importance of diversification in agriculture, the maritime sector, coastal communities and fishing communities in terms of rural policy.”
“I know from my engagement with both the Department and the Minister that over 900 submissions to the consultation process were received. No Member or parliamentarian will have had the opportunity to consider the anonymised version of these consultations, which contain many good suggestions in favour of the regulations and many concerns in…”
“I welcome the Minister and the official to the Seanad. This is particularly important Private Members' business. I thank Senators Collins and Tully for setting out the background and the rationale behind their Private Members' motion. I acknowledge the Minister's exceptional commitment to rural Ireland and his Ministry.”
“I am conscious of the Minister's public consultation, and I acknowledge it and thank them for it, in relation to the Our Rural Future work programme in 2025. In fairness to him, he did not stop at that. I received a further update when I requested it from his office very recently.”
“This will come about through that process. It is for the Minister to decide. Maybe he will do so tomorrow when the regulations are dealt with. However, when Senators are in this Chamber discussing these regulations tomorrow, they will have no sight of any constituent who made a submission. That is my first item.”
“I am pleased to see Senator Byrne in the Leader’s chair. I wish him well in that job. I also wish him well in his new position as Government Whip. There are three items I wish to discuss today. First is the exempt development regulations, which are being covered extensively in the media.”
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“While the funding was directed to mobility access to Europe, we should not lose sight of the fact there is a major North-South dimension given that more than 20% of those taking part in Ireland now seek internships and similar placements in financial services and the IFSC, with which the Minister will be familiar. Some people in the UK are trying to make the case for bilateral deals but that is not European solidarity in its best form. We cannot permit, support or agree with the picking off of various member states for different deals. However, looking at the reports and debates in Westminster, it is clear that is an option the British Government wants to pursue. Pursuing an agenda of individual deals with one member state against another at any time is unacceptable, as far as I am concerned.”
“The Minister spoke about finalising arrangements with Northern Ireland in terms of the education institutions. He said that during the UK withdrawal from the EU, the loss of access to the EU’s Erasmus+ education programme was highlighted by civic society as a major concern for current and potential students and staff of higher education institutions in Northern Ireland. The Government rightly agreed to put arrangements in place to maintain access for Northern Irish education students to mobility across Europe. This fund fulfils that commitment so long as the fund is in place. Therefore, and particularly closer to home, we need to look at the funding that facilitates the movement of our people on both sides of this island.”
“In evidence to the House of Lords European Affairs Committee in December 2024, just three months ago, the UK Minister for EU relations, Nick Thomas–Symonds, said it was up to the EU to finalise any proposals it wanted to place on the table, and that the UK's response would depend precisely on what was meant by an EU youth mobility scheme. Progress will require a mindset that focuses on how to improve relationships, not on re-fighting the old Brexit battles. For many in Westminster, the language of free movement seems to present major problems and is exceptionally sensitive. It is important that the Minister touched on that point. I looked at a statement that was issued when the Tánaiste was Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and that is on the Government website.”
“Sunak rejected the offer of a youth mobility scheme between the EU and UK, for a number of reasons. The UK Labour Party, then in opposition, also turned down the European Commission's proposals, which would have allowed young Britons to live, study and work in the EU. The UK Labour Party said the youth mobility schemes were synonymous with "the freedom of movement". The now Labour Government has reiterated that it has no plans for a youth mobility scheme with the EU and will not return to UK–EU freedom of movement. Reports at the end of 2024 indicated the EU was seeking to refine the proposal as a youth experience scheme, as the Minister touched on, or a cultural exchange programme. When you delve into that, another series of questions emerges.”
“Such an agreement would make it easier for EU and UK citizens to study, work and live in the UK and the EU, respectively. The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the two. That is a fact. It has particularly affected the opportunities of young people who want to experience life on the other side of the channel and to benefit from youth culture, education, research and training exchanges. The proposal seeks to address, in an innovative way, the main barriers to mobility young people experience today and create the right of young people to travel more easily from the EU to the UK, and vice versa , and for a longer period, subject, of course, to conditions. The European Commission proposal was rejected by the then Conservative government. Mr.”
“I want to share some of the points with Senators today because we need to be conscious of them. Like Senator Clifford-Lee, I have been sitting as a member of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly. We have a very strong, respectful working relationship with all its members. From that, you learn about other experiences and other dimensions of the North–South arrangements and those concerning Great Britain. I refer to the whole relationship, which is fundamentally important to both Britain and Ireland. The European Commission formally proposed that the EU seek to negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the United kingdom in April 2024. The Commission had proposed to the EU Council that negotiations be opened with the UK on engagement to facilitate a youth mobility scheme.”
“Today the motion before the Seanad is on whether it approves "authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on a Youth Experience Scheme", a copy of which was laid before the Seanad on 10 February 2025. I have taken the time to consider it and also to examine the debate on it in the Dáil. I very much hear what the Minister is saying, which is that there was clearly no dissension among the four or five speakers. That is all there were. However, it is worth pointing out some of the background to this issue. Therefore, I took the time to examine the library reports in Westminster and see some of the debate on the other side of the water on this matter.”
“I congratulate Senator Byrne on her election to the job of Leas-Chathaoirleach. I hope she enjoys it. It is well deserved. I particularly want to thank the Minister. We know each other for a long time and I know his extended family for a long time. It is great to see him in the chair as Minister for justice and home affairs. Clearly, he has vast experience and knowledge. It is great that we have someone from Dublin in the role, particularly given the enormous challenges in our city. We have challenges everywhere but enormous ones in Dublin. I genuinely wish the Minister well and know he will do an excellent job.”
“How can Government Members explain to the public outside listening in that while Dáil Éireann, this very afternoon, can have a secret ballot to elect its Leas-Cheann Comhairle, in this House to elect our Leas-Chathaoirleach, it is not permitted? That is not democracy and we need to address it, not nod our heads and go on in denial. We can make that change and we can make that decision. Let us take on that task.”
“I am asking them to go to their parliamentary party meetings when they next take place and make a strong case of conviction that they believe we should have a secret ballot, as their counterparts, their colleagues, in Dáil Éireann are doing this very afternoon. However, for some reason it is not possible. They do not permit it because of the party whip structure, so-called discipline or direction from the party leadership. I believe it is wrong and I believe we will have to learn a lesson. I would like to think that within days if not weeks we would commit to reforming this House because the people outside looking in are getting fed up. I will finish on this.”
“It was because the Members took it in their hands and made a decision to amend their Standing Orders. We have a separate set of Standing Orders. We on this side of the House have fought collectively together to bring reform. We bought many proposals to have a secret ballot and we said this would come up time and time again. However, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens blocked that reform. Are Government Members going to sit here again and nod their heads in surprise or will they stand up here today and give a commitment that they will go to their parliamentary party meetings tonight and say it is about time that we bought an element of democracy into the proceedings of the Upper House, this House that we are proud to be elected to? That is the challenge and that is what I am asking them to do.”
“I share the concerns of my colleagues on the matter. We have two very fine candidates and I mean that sincerely. I was in this process for the job of Cathaoirleach after the previous election so I know how it plays out. We need to ask ourselves, particularly as we start afresh in this Senate: are we committed to its reform? Can we work collectively together, not against one another, to support this House and give confidence in this House? I always say to people when I speak in here that I am not really speaking to those who are in here, because I am speaking to the people, who are looking in on Oireachtas television, who are here or who may watch an RTÉ news bulletin tonight, talking about what is happening. Why is it that in Dáil Éireann down the stairs from here, there was a democratic election process by secret ballot?”
“Given that we do not have a lot of policy or legislation coming down the track, I ask that the document be circulated to every Member of the House and that we have a timely discussion on local government and local democracy and how we can give more power to our city and local councillors. It is very important that we do so. This is my initial ask in the House. Let us enjoy it, respect one another and move forward.”
“Throughout the election campaign, many of us were challenged and asked what we were going to do about local government, what we would do for city and county councillors, how we would empower them and how we would support them in their work. It is not all about remuneration or pensions. It is about policy and how we can dovetail them more into the relevant discussions that take place in these Houses. I ask the Leader to organise a meeting to discuss and debate the report of the committee the House established, a document which has 25 recommendations. We have never discussed or debated it.”
“This is an important relationship that we need to understand. It is always respectful but it is political. I want to turn to the next issue, which is local government. This is something I have championed, as have many here. The majority of us have been elected by city and county councillors. The Cathaoirleach, many Members of the House and I were on the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. This was a unique committee of this House, and not the Lower House, where we discussed local democracy, local government and the issue regarding more power for local government. We have the most centralised structures for local government and we need to devolve more powers to local government.”
“I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election for another term. I wish him well. I also want to take this opportunity to wish the Leader well and thank him for his work and his vast experience in here. More importantly, I want to welcome everyone to the House. It is a unique place and we are unique people. We are individuals who bring our life experiences to the House. Be we on the university panels, Taoiseach's nominees or on the vocational panels, we all have a legitimate and valid seat and a place in the Chamber. We need to start off with that. We need to respect one another and support one another. We need to respect that there is reasonable opposition that is not antagonistic to the Government and, vice versa , the Government clearly has a prerogative to outline its policies.”