Senator Alice-Mary Higgins motion to stop Ireland signing up to a free trade agreement between the EU and Canada passed in the Seanad.
In advance of Budget 2019, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty appeared before the committee. Senator Higgins called on her to make progress on some of the issues which she has strongly advocated for over the past year and before.
In her address to Mr. Junker, Senator Higgins spoke passionately about the future of Europe, the realisation of the European pillar of social rights, the important work to be done on inclusion and peace-building and a true version of multilateralism. She also voiced the concerns of many across Europe about the increasing militarisation of the EU and its borders and the inclusion of investor state courts in EU trade agreements.