Politics

Dara Calleary says Fianna Fáil should question EU

Mayo TD says EU facing into a period when it will be reset

Dara Calleary: ‘The EU must reassert itself as a union that has people at its heart, as opposed to a union that places an increasingly flawed economic vision above all else.’ Photograph: Frank Miller
Dara Calleary: ‘The EU must reassert itself as a union that has people at its heart, as opposed to a union that places an increasingly flawed economic vision above all else.’ Photograph: Frank Miller
Fiach Kelly
Mon Jan 05 2015 - 01:01

Fianna Fáil in government should “question and challenge” the European Union to a greater extent than any party in power has done previously, a party frontbencher has said.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Mayo TD and Fianna Fáil spokesman on jobs Dara Calleary accused the Fine Gael-Labour Coalition of failing to challenge or sufficiently question European policy in recent years.

The EU is facing into a period when it will be “reset”, and it is crucial a strong Irish criticism of its weaknesses, such as a “flawed economic vision”, and need for reform is heard, he said.

In recent months, some in Fianna Fáil, including Mr Calleary, have advocated the party taking a more critical stance on Europe. Éamon Ó Cuív, the Galway West deputy, has previously taken up Eurosceptic positions in the party but others have reacted to the success of politicians such as Luke "Ming" Flanagan and Michael Fitzmaurice, who are critical of EU regulations in areas such as turf cutting.

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Mr Calleary – seen as one of a group of possible successors to leader Micheál Martin – said he is "not the Nigel Farage of the west" and insisted he is "still very supportive of Europe". However, his views are still likely to prove controversial within Fianna Fáil.

Full partner

“A successful Ireland should be a full partner with Europe but one that questions and challenges more than we have previously done, an approach Fianna Fáil should take in government,” Mr Calleary said.

“The way Fine Gael and Labour have dealt with the European Union and the European Central Bank would not give you much hope that they can lead the debate that is going to take place in Europe about how we reset the EU.

“It’s clear they won’t and you just have to look at their response to the ECB’s refusal to come before the banking inquiry as an indication of their laissez-faire attitude and refusal to ask the hard questions and have the tough conversations.

EU must reassert itself "Ireland has had a very successful relationship with the EU since my party led us in to the then European Economic Community in 1973. I want that to continue and I want it to flourish. But the EU must re

assert itself as a union that has people at its heart, as opposed to a union that places an increasingly flawed economic vision above all else.

“The EU Commission has stood back and let the ECB dictate policy across Europe since 2008. This is increasingly a flawed economic policy that is slowing Europe’s economic recovery, and slowing the ability of the 24 million unemployed people in the EU to return to employment.”

Mr Calleary accused the Government, and Fine Gael in particular, of prematurely trying to define the choice facing voters at the next general election: “The Government have already begun to try to frame that election as a particular choice of their own design.”