Micheál Martin says presidential candidate Catherine Connolly is 'in the camp' against EU

Taoiseach says public needs to to stand up against 'those who pretend to be pro-EU but in practice invest all of their energy in attacking the Union'

Catherine Connolly meeting local people in Milltown Malbay in Co Clare while canvassing on Saturday. Picture: Eamon Ward

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has accused independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly of being “in the camp” against the EU.

Ahead of Friday’s vote, Mr Martin, who has said he will vote for Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, criticised people who say they are “pro-EU but...”.

In his speech at the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare, Mr Martin’s speech focused on the role of Ireland in the EU.

He stated that the “core principles of solidarity with Europe and Ireland being defined by diversity are under attack today in a way that few could have imagined only a short time ago” 

He branded the decision to join the EU as a “transformative moment for our country”.

“This is a reminder that we also have to stand up against the corrosive and cynical euroscepticism of those who pretend to be pro-EU but in practice invest all of their energy in attacking the Union,” he said.

“This matters because for decades, a creeping euroscepticism was allowed to take hold in Britain and ultimately led to the incredible damage of Brexit.

“Pro-European voices in Britain waiting too long to challenge those who pretended to just want reform or to be just concerned about the latest proposal.

“We need to start calling out people who say, ‘oh, but I’m pro-EU’, as they constantly announce and reannounce the supposed end of Irish sovereignty.

“You’re not pro-EU if you stand against every Treaty which has built the Union over the last quarter of a century.

“You’re not pro-EU if you claim it’s controlled by a wealthy elite and can never find a positive word to say about it.

“You’re not pro-EU if you constantly say that it’s destroying our neutrality and is in the hands of a military-industrial complex.” 

Ms Connolly has stated that she voted against the Nice and Lisbon treaties.

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Asked after his speech if he was referring to Ms Connolly, the Taoiseach said he believed “Catherine was in that camp”.

“There's no question about that, along with Sinn Féin and along with other parties on the left who constantly, first of all, vote against EU treaties, but also talk about Europe as if it's a warmonger or if it's a military industrial complex,” he said.

“We've heard that language a lot from Catherine and others, and also from Sinn Féin. Most recently in the contributions last June to the Dáil, Sinn Féin described Ursula von der Leyen as a warmonger because of Europe having to respond to Russian aggression.

“Russian aggression in Europe is real, and we know that from the violation of airspace of many EU member states. We know it from activities close to our subsea cables, gas connectors as well.

“People need to be unequivocal about how beneficial membership of the EU has been to this country, even the opposition to trade deals. The Canadian EU trade deal has been fantastic for Ireland's trade, exports, jobs.

“Yet, people have got away with sort of the opening line will be, ‘I'm pro EU but’, and then what you get is a speech that condemns the European Union.” 

When asked if it was appropriate for him to make those comments so close to the presidential election, Mr Martin said we “live in a democracy” and that it was “appropriate” to make the comments at an event commemorating Wolfe Tone.