“Outrage” in Europe after Veronica Guerin’s murder, Dáil said

Europe was outraged after the killing of independent journalist Veronica Guerin on Sunday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told the Dáil and Seanad.

The Metsola resident said Europe wept with Ireland too as an explosion killed 10 people in Donegal’s Creeslough.

“When 10 people lost their lives in Creeslough, we cried with you,” she said.

“When journalists like Veronica Guerin are killed for speaking up, we share your outrage and your determination for justice.

“When Ireland faced uncertainty immediately after Brexit, your position was our position. We went through it all together and we will stay together.”

Ms Metsola addressed both Houses of the Oireachtas as Ireland celebrates 50 years as a member of the EU.

She said it was “inconceivable” that a woman would speak before both houses of Parliament as married women were not allowed to work after Ireland joined the EU.

“It would have been unthinkable then that a woman – least of all one who was born on an island in the middle of Europe’s South Seas – would be standing here before you today,” she said.

“It’s part of what Europe can do. How transformative it can be. How it can be the leveler we need.”

Ms Metsola said both Europe and democracy are not “taken for granted” and vowed the EU will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary”.

“The European Union will continue to support Ukraine with financial assistance, humanitarian and financial assistance, military support and practical solidarity.”

She also alluded to a “difficult” few weeks for the EU Parliament after it recently voted to lift the protective immunity of two politicians linked to one of the bloc’s biggest corruption scandals.

“I am confident that we will fix our systems and restore confidence,” she said.

“Europe is not free from imperfections or frustrations. I share many of them. I think we need to be as honest about our mistakes as we are about our successes.”

These are times of “polycrises,” the president said, which have left people choosing between “feeding their children and heating their homes” and “homelessness and hopelessness.”