Keynote Speech by the Tánaiste at Europe Day Reception

Keynote Speech by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence, Mr Simon Harris, TD

Europe Day Reception,

Friday, 09 May 2025

Europe House

[Check against delivery]

Ladies and gentlemen,

Distinguished colleagues and friends,

It is a privilege to join you here in the recently inaugurated Europe House to mark this significant occasion — Europe Day — and to celebrate 75 years since the Schuman Declaration, the founding moment of what we now know as the European Union.

I would like to begin by extending warm thanks and appreciation to Peter Power, Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, for his leadership and dedication in deepening Ireland’s connection with the European Union and for inviting me here today.

I would also like to acknowledge Fearghas O’Beara, Head of the European Parliament Liaison Office, whose work brings the voice of the European Parliament and of course our MEPs closer to the Irish people.

And to Artur Michalski, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Poland, representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Thank you all for your tireless work in building and sustaining the European project in Ireland and across our Union.

This is a year for reflection and renewal.

As we mark the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, we are reminded of the visionary clarity that laid the foundations of today’s European Union —

a community built not on conquest, but on co-operation, not on rivalry, but on reconciliation.

It is timely, on this day, to take a step back from the daily debates and discussions that naturally dominate European affairs.

Whether it is about budgetary rules, regulatory frameworks or new proposals under negotiation, we sometimes forget to consider the bigger picture — of what the European Union truly means, and what it has achieved.

For Ireland, membership of the European Union is not simply an advantage — it is an essential part of who we are as a people.

It has been transformative for our country, our society and our economy, and continues to be central to our future.

By every significant measure, EU membership has been beneficial for Ireland.

It has underpinned economic growth, fostered innovation, opened up new markets, and created jobs.

The biggest beneficiaries of our membership have been the communities and workers in every part of our island — who now enjoy rights, protections, and opportunities that would have been unimaginable without the strength and solidarity of a shared European future.

From agriculture to technology, from higher education to public infrastructure, European solidarity has touched every part of Irish life, not least because we became a more equal and inclusive society where human rights are revered.

We are one of the success stories of the EU and in return, we have given back — not only as a net contributor to the European budget, but by being a reliable, constructive, and outward-looking member of the Union and working together to achieve progress for all member states.

Let us not forget that the EU was born in the shadow of destruction, in the aftermath of the Second World War.

It was, first and foremost, a peace project. And here in Ireland, that vision resonated deeply.

For decades, the European Union has been a strong and unwavering partner in peace and reconciliation on this island.

The support of our European partners helped us build and maintain the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement.

That support continues to this day — in quiet diplomacy, in practical funding, and in the moral and political weight that the EU brings to bear in promoting reconciliation.

Today, the European Union remains a force for peace, democracy, and the rule of law.

Standing for our values has never been so consequential.

We face unprecedented geopolitical instability at this time — from Russian aggression on the doorstep of Europe, to the rise of extremism and a new transatlantic trading relationship.

The need for strong, centrist, pro-European leadership has never been greater.

That is why I am proud that the European Union, and Ireland within it, has moved decisively to support the people of Ukraine, and to welcome them into our communities.

Europe is at its best when it is united, not fragmented — when it works not in narrow interests, but for the common good.

This will be my guiding principle when Ireland assumes the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026.

I want to also welcome the renewed momentum in EU enlargement policy.

I am encouraged by the efforts of candidate countries to implement and accelerate accession-related reforms, both in the East and in the Western Balkans, and I sincerely hope to see this momentum continue.

EU enlargement is not just a technical process — it is a statement of who we are and what we believe in.

I firmly believe that every European country that meets the criteria should have the opportunity to join this unique Union of values and opportunity.

Europe is not something apart from us. Europe is us.

To all of you here today — diplomats, civil servants, community leaders, educators, advocates, and citizens — thank you for being part of this journey.

Thank you for your service to Ireland and to Europe. And thank you for continuing the work that began 75 years ago, rising from the ashes of conflict, with a declaration of peace and a commitment to unity.

Happy Europe Day.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.