Whispers of euro scepticism in Ireland are growing louder and cannot be allowed to go “unchallenged,” Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Helen McEntee has said in her first major policy speech during her time in the roles.
Speaking in Europe House on the topic of Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency, Minister McEntee said that she was “concerned by a rising level of euro scepticism in our country”.
“It puts forward the seductive populist claim that our problems – and like everybody else we have our problems – do not lie in our own hands, they must be the fault of somebody else – and the EU or ‘Brussels’ is a convenient somebody,” she said.
Minister McEntee said that a national conversation on Europe is required, because “we cannot cede the stage to these voices”.
Despite that, she said that this does not mean that the conversation should “only be about praising the EU”.
“I am a dedicated European but this does not mean that criticism of Europe is unjustified. Criticism is absolutely necessary.”
On the topic of Greenland, Minister McEntee reiterated the Irish Government’s support for “the people of Greenland and Denmark”.
“Our position is crystal clear; the future of Greenland is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people in line with well-established democratic principles and international law,” she said, adding that the recent commentary on Greenland has been “deeply troubling” for those who value international peace and security.
“I note President Trump’s statements last night, ruling out the use of armed force and subsequently ruling out the imposition of tariffs on 1 February, and I welcome them.
“We have taken a step back from a political and trade conflict from which there would be no winners. The threatened tariffs would have undermined transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-US Joint Statement,” she said.
The minister said that the Greenland developments emphasised the importance of Ireland’s EU membership “to the daily lives of our citizens”.
Ms McEntee said that for her in 2026, focus on the advantages of EU membership is central, and “making sure these are understood by the public”.
On the topic of policy Ms McEntee chose to focus on the three pillars of “values”, security and competitiveness, which are also the three pillars of the Strategic Agenda for the EU agreed by European leaders in late 2024.
Describing “values” as the shared European foundation, Minister McEntee specified that Ireland will work to oppose attempts to “dilute international commitments and human rights standards, including on women’s rights, gender equality and the rights of LGBTQ+ persons”.
“I am proud that Ireland is standing up for our values as a candidate for election to the UN Human Rights Council,” she said.
She outlined Ireland’s ongoing support for Ukraine and for peace in the Middle East, noting also that Ireland received an invitation to join the United States’ ‘Board of Peace’ alongside other EU member states.
“The scope of the Board of Peace being proposed by the US would appear to be wider than the mandate provided by the UN Security Council for implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan (Resolution 2803). We have concerns around some of the content in the US proposal, including how it would relate to the United Nations, and the proposed governance arrangements.
“We would welcome clarification from the US on these and other aspects of their proposal, which we continue to consider in coordination with EU partners,” the minister said.
Minister McEntee described reports of the killing of large numbers of protesters in Iran as “shocking”, saying that at her request, senior officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs relayed concerns to the Ambassador-designate of Iran January 12.
Also on the topic of values, Ms McEntee said that a focus for Ireland during its EU Presidency would be addressing “challenges to the rule of law”, including “democratic backsliding” which she described as a “growing challenge in parts of our Union”.
Turning to security, the minister focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, which she said “has transformed the security landscape in Europe”.
She said that all EU member states, including Ireland, were facing multiple threats that are “acute and growing”, including hybrid threats and cyber-attacks.
In light of the changing security landscape, Minister McEntee said that Ireland is “determined to step up our own security to confront threats, to uphold our values and to protect the well-being of our citizens and our economy”.
She emphasised that Ireland will maintain a policy of military neutrality, but indicated that investment in Defence will be a greater priority for Ireland going forward.
Ireland will work with European colleagues to tackle “two of the greatest challenges facing modern society,” which she identified as child sexual abuse online and gender and domestic based violence.
Addressing migration, Minister McEntee said that it is an “ongoing challenge” for Europe and that Ireland remains committed to the implementation of the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact.
“Our investments in development cooperation, in fighting poverty and in building economies in developing countries also contributes to tackling the challenge of migration and to our own security,” she said.
Finally, on competitiveness, the minister highlighted energy, saying that it is too expensive “because we are overly-dependent on imported fossil fuels” and added that the EU is being outpaced in the technological race.
Ms McEntee suggested that supporting and transforming the single market is the response the EU ought to take to the stated challenges.
Ireland is set to announce its Presidency priorities in June this year, shortly before assuming the presidency of the Council of Europe.
The country is expected to welcome Heads of State and Government from 47 European countries to a meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin, described by Minister McEntee as “the largest event of its kind ever held in Ireland”.