Many Irish people have mixed emotions on the European project. It is a love-hate relationship of sorts. I spoke in the European Parliament recently as part of the Erasmus programme. I certainly love the element of mutual co-operation and cultural exchange with countries with which we have had links since the time of the monks shining a light into the dark Continent. However, many people dislike the increasing militarisation of a federal superstate that appears to prioritise the interests of corporations over communities. Ireland should be a voice for peace. Only today, we saw how hard-pressed consumers were hit with a charge of €3 per non-EU product, which should have been passed on to billionaire corporations that produce the products and flood the market with them. There are also double standards whereby we strongly sanction Russian aggression in Ukraine but adopt a kid glove approach to the maniacal State of Israel, while we watch the world's first live-streamed genocide yet do very little about it. That represents rank EU hypocrisy. The sovereignty of national parliaments can be superseded by a federal superstate, such as with the EU migration pact, if a government rolls over and kowtows to Ursula von der Leyen and hands control over to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. There has undoubtedly been much progressive legislation coming from Europe, such as the area of workers' rights and other dimensions. However, there is no reason that any national parliament should not be capable of enacting the same legislation. I attended and enjoyed today's ceremony in Dublin Castle. It was very well run. I compliment those involved. There was a big emphasis on EU enlargement, which will allow 36 million and, eventually, 136 million from non-EU countries to have free movement into Ireland and elsewhere. Have we considered the practical implications of all this in terms of Ireland's infrastructure and people's access to housing, healthcare and education? We need to. Unfortunately, I do not hear much emphasis on EU enlargement into counties Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim and Down and the use of our Presidency as a unique opportunity to garner support for Irish reunification, just as we did with German reunification.

Sentiment score: 0.17