Kilkenny MEP hits out at 'double standards' that are 'clear for the world to see'

Sinn Féin MEP for Kilkenny and Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, has hit out against 'militarisation creeping into EU affairs'.

MEP Funchion was speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly between Westminster and the European Parliament, which is taking place in London. 

Speaking after an exchange of views on security and foreign policy cooperation, Ms Funchion said that whilst she 'understands many of the interests colleagues have for their individual member states' and respects that they’re standing up for their own interests, she 'feel it is important to remind people the EU is not a military alliance'.

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"This isn’t a meeting between Westminster and NATO," she said. Not all EU member states are members of NATO, some member states like Ireland are militarily neutral.

"We in Ireland have a long history of neutrality and non-alignment. This has been a basis of our foreign policy for the past 100+ years, and has allowed us to maintain good relations across the world. 

"It has also facilitated Ireland in being a respected and independent arbiter. Any discussions on foreign policy need to recognise and respect neutral states."

MEP Funchion also hit out at what she described as hypocrisy in terms of the response to the genocide in Gaza.

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"When we are discussing foreign policy, we must also discuss the role of the EU and the British state in the genocide in the Gaza," she said.

"We cannot on one hand pretend that we are here to seek peace, but on the other hand sell weapons of war to a regime committing war crimes.

"The double standards are clear for the world to see when looking at the response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, compared to the response to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the ongoing breaches of international law.

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"The EU is not a credible partner for peace. If it was, the EU-Israel Association Agreement would have been suspended by now, sending a clear message that there can be no trade deal for war criminals."

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