Polls show it: in Ireland, more than 70% of the population say they are deeply attached to the European Union. An even higher figure among Irish youth.
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The Irish are a migratory people. Legend has it that there are ten times more numerous outside their borders. The reality is one and a half million residents abroad for around seven million inhabitants in Ireland. It’s already huge.
The island is historically populated by travelers and Léo Galvin, a high school student from Dublin, intends to perpetuate the tradition by studying in Europe. “It’s not even a question for me, he says. I will always be Irish but because of this European community, I will always be comfortable anywhere in Europe.”
A French mother, an Irish father. Like many here, Léo grew up with ties abroad. Links that he wants to maintain and develop. And for him, the European Union is a godsend. “To be Irish is to be connected to someone else, to belong to a community, explains Leo. Here we are raised with this idea.”
“We are everywhere in Europe because we want to be there.”
Léo Galvin, Dublin high school studentat franceinfo
“It’s cool. We love the European idea because it’s a community outside of Ireland that you can explore to see the differences and discover everything there is to do.”says the student.
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A 2nd year student at Dublin City University, Jamie shares this vision of Europe. This green activist would even like more Europe: “I am in favor of the idea of a ‘European Union’. Freedom of movement, the single currency, free trade agreements, all of that is very effective. We are lucky to benefit from it as a small state on an island in Europe but I also think that we could better exploit these assets and get even more benefits from them.”
But this love is not unconditional: Jamie would like a Europe that is more active on the environmental front, in particular to constrain and tax the most polluting companies. If the European Union fails to meet its targets for reducing carbon emissions, it could well change its mind on this continental ideal.
Young Irish people and the European ideal: report by Richard Place