Apart from always looking for new members to join our ranks, there are 3 main things that we are actively working on within Volt Ireland at the moment that you can join:

The first is the communications team. After our September monthly meeting on our communications strategy, you may have noticed they have really kicked off by posting more on social media and publishing articles on our website. There is a dedicated comms team chat group within our WhatsApp community that you can join if you want to help create content for us. Whenever you see something that we should comment on or react to online, this community group is the place to tell us, or email Kim.

Second is our policy on defence. After our monthly meeting during the summer, where our external speaker Arjan Lammersen talked to us about his research on neutrality, we now have a policy proposal in the works on Volt Ireland's stance on defence strategy, led by Joseph. We will discuss this proposal on our monthly call on 17 November at 7 pm. If you would like a sneak peek at the proposal, you can email Joseph and request access to the working document.

Third is the European Citizens' Initiative around housing. On the European level, Volt Europa has played a big part in this ECI, and you can already sign the petition here. At the Irish level, we are working on creating a campaign with student bodies, other political parties, and other institutions. You can write to Scott if you want to help out.

At the European level, the ‘We are the one million’ campaign is still running. Volt Europa is building a database of 1 million Europeans to sign future European Citizens' Initiatives much faster. I feel everyone who supports democracy, whether or not you are a Volt member, should join this group.

Events for the coming weeks are:

• November 9th, 12 pm, online communications team meeting

• November 10th, 7 pm, online leadership meeting

• November 17h, 7 pm, online community monthly meeting, the presentation of our proposed defence policy

• November 23rd, 12 pm, online Comms team meeting

• November 28th, 7 pm, informal drinks in The Crafty Fox, Dublin to meet fellow Volters in person

• December 13th 9 am - 3 pm, Volt Europa online General Assembly (register here)

All events (including meeting links for online meetings) are listed in the Volt Ireland calendar.

👉 See the Volt Ireland calendar

This month’s topics

What’s happening with Volt in Ireland? ▶️ The Triple Lock: When Ireland’s Commitment to Peace Becomes an Obstacle to It
▶️ Volt leaders at The Bioeconomy Summit and the Political Communications Summit

News from Europe
▶️ Get your Dutch friends to vote Volt!
▶️ First Hungary, now Serbia. Great news after the Elections in Serbia
▶️ A very moving Ireland appreciation post

Updates from Volt around Europe
▶️ Historic win for Volt in Slovakia
▶️ Volt's statement on the US midterm elections

News from Volt Ireland

The Triple Lock: When Ireland’s Commitment to Peace Becomes an Obstacle to It

Leinster Lead Joseph wrote about Volt Ireland's position on the removal of the triple Lock. Below is a snippet, and you can read the full piece here.

Volt Ireland supports removing the UN Security Council mandate requirement for overseas deployments of the Defence Forces. However, we believe this reform must be accompanied by clear statutory definitions of peacekeeping, peace enforcement and other forms of international security assistance, alongside meaningful democratic oversight.

Ireland's commitment to international peacekeeping and the principles of peaceful resolution of disputes is deeply rooted in our foreign policy tradition. Our record as the country with the longest unbroken record of peacekeeping in the world, and the exemplary conduct and contributions of our Defence Forces on those missions, is rightly a source of pride. This tradition must be preserved, but we must distinguish between the principles underpinning our foreign policy and the legal mechanisms of the day through which it has been pursued. The triple lock was intended to safeguard Ireland's independent decision-making, democratic accountability and commitment to international peace. Today, given the dysfunction at the UN Security Council, what once was a safeguard now undermines those very principles.

Under the existing arrangements, the permanent members of the Security Council can effectively determine whether Ireland is permitted to participate in certain international missions. This gives countries such as Russia, China and indeed the current US administration the capacity to obstruct Irish participation for reasons that may have little to do with the mission itself. This arrangement is irreconcilable with an independent foreign policy or with Ireland's responsibility to contribute to European and international security.

👉 Read more

Volt Ireland leads attend the Global Bioeconomy Summit in Dublin and the Political Communications Summit in Vienna

Volt Ireland co-lead Nina van den Bergh attended the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2026 in Dublin (19–22 October), where policymakers, industry and researchers met to discuss the shift to a sustainable, bio-based economy. The big takeaway is that we’re not short of solutions. The innovations on show proved that. What’s holding us back is policy coherence, implementation and the ability to scale.

That’s why Volt Ireland believes government must lead, with clear long-term strategies and investment for an economy that is circular, creates jobs and reduces inequality. This matches the Summit’s Bioeconomy Vision 2040, which calls for a bioeconomy that is just, sustainable and drives socio-economic development.

Getting there means using local knowledge, because people in a region know best what it needs; sharing what works between EU regions facing the same challenges; bringing science, industry and communities to the same table; and making sure local workers benefit through new jobs, new industries and reskilling.

We want a sustainable Ireland that people can enjoy today and future generations can inherit.

👉 Want to help build it? Become a member

From left to right: Volt's Sarah, Lena, and Kim were proud to represent women in politics. #WomenInPolitics

And in Vienna at the start of October, communications lead Kim Gillick attended the Political Communication Summit. The theme of the day was leading with clarity. Some of the most interesting sessions discussed what the data says and how to respond. Many Europeans, for instance, don't trust information from EU institutions and instead look to trusted messengers within their own context (location, community, economic situation, demographic group, etc.). This makes sense at all levels of governance; local contexts shape what people hear and how they receive it. And those closest to the context are trusted most to suggest solutions.

Volt was the only genuinely pan-European party at the summit; one team with representatives from Volt Berlin, Volt Europa and Volt Ireland that stood out as a serious alternative to other siloed national parties in attendance. Volt's Sarah, Lena, and Kim were also proud to represent women in politics.

News from Europe

Get your Dutch friends to vote Volt! 🇳🇱

You may have friends from the Netherlands who live in Ireland or elsewhere in the world. They can decide the composition of the Dutch Senate through an electoral college. To do that, they'll need to register through this link. Please encourage them to do so. Of course, if you can persuade them to vote Volt, it would be even better. 💜

First Hungary, now Serbia. 🇷🇸

Hopeful news after elections in Serbia. A tumultuous two years of student demonstrations demanding change have culminated in the (good) riddance of Putin’s friend Vučić. The student-led movement The Student List enjoyed a major win in October’s parliamentary elections. Rapporteur reports that “the reformist and insurgent Student Movement will preside over a commanding majority in the new Serbian parliament.” Although the party’s foreign affairs programme omits any mention of EU membership for now, we remain hopeful for inclusion and collaboration in the future.

👉 Read Rapporteur’s analysis

Ireland appreciation post 💚

We spotted this lovely post from Belarus' opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, about Ireland and the time she spent here after the Chornobyl disaster.

The Irish Times this week has a profile on Ms Tsikhanouskaya; you can read that here.

Updates from Volt around Europe

Historic win for Volt in Slovakia

Volt Slovakia has won four seats in municipal elections for the first time in our party's history! Just a few months after our GA in Bratislava, four Volters now represent us in three regions.

Two are formerly independent candidates who have joined Volt and will serve their second term: Ján Lacko in Malinovo (Bratislava region) and Jana Dudášova in Ružiná (Banská Bystrica region). Two are Volters elected for the first time: Mikuláš Lakatoš in Pribeta (Nitra region) and Eva Svoradová in Halič (Banská Bystrica region).

Once again, European ideas for local elections have proven to be a formula for success. 💜

America will make its democratic choices. Europe must make its own

Yesterday, America voted. A Democratic victory may create more institutional balance in Washington, but Europe's task remains the same. Europe still needs to become safer, more sovereign and more competitive. A divided Washington does not solve Europe's challenges. Defence, competitiveness, energy security and technological leadership remain European Responsibilities.

👉 Read Volt’s statement

That's it for this edition. Thanks for reading. If you think a friend, family member or colleague would enjoy reading something in this edition, please consider forwarding it to them. If you're not subscribed, do so here.

Ireland's commitment to international peacekeeping and the principles of peaceful resolution of disputes is deeply rooted in our foreign policy tradition. Our record as the country with the longest unbroken record of peacekeeping in the world, and the exemplary conduct and contributions of our Defence Forces on those missions, is rightly a source of pride. This tradition must be preserved, but we must distinguish between the principles underpinning our foreign policy and the legal mechanisms of the day through which it has been pursued. The triple lock was intended to safeguard Ireland's independent decision-making, democratic accountability and commitment to international peace. Today, given the dysfunction at the UN Security Council, what once was a safeguard now undermines those very principles.

Under the existing arrangements, the permanent members of the Security Council can effectively determine whether Ireland is permitted to participate in certain international missions. This gives countries such as Russia, China and indeed the current US administration the capacity to obstruct Irish participation for reasons that may have little to do with the mission itself. This arrangement is irreconcilable with an independent foreign policy or with Ireland's responsibility to contribute to European and international security.

The consequences are this year becoming impossible to ignore. In May 2026, Ireland ended its participation in Operation IRINI, the EU's naval mission supporting implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya, after the Security Council failed to renew the authorisation underpinning its inspections. Four Irish Defence Forces personnel had to leave, while the EU operation continued with the participation of other member states. Ireland's contribution was lost because of an absence of leadership in New York, rather than an assessment by our own elected representatives of the mission's merits or Ireland's national interests.

The same problem will play out in Lebanon over the next few months. Irish soldiers have served with UNIFIL since 1978, and the mission's operational mandate is due to conclude on 31 December 2026, followed by a withdrawal phase during 2027. The European Union has established a separate support mission, EUSM Lebanon, to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces. Its military component will provide advice and training in areas including border security, maritime security, intelligence and operational coordination. Its civilian component will support the development of Lebanon's internal security institutions.

This is not a replacement for UNIFIL, nor is it an attempt to continue UN peacekeeping under a different name. It is a distinct EU mission addressing a different requirement: strengthening the capacity of the Lebanese state to exercise authority over its territory and provide security for its population. Yet Ireland's existing legislative framework significantly restricts our ability to contribute to such missions without a UN mandate.

There is a real danger that, in our determination to preserve the architecture but not the principles underlying our peacekeeping tradition, we will end up abandoning its substance. Ireland has spent decades building an international reputation through the professionalism, credibility and willingness of its Defence Forces to serve in difficult environments. That reputation depends on our continued willingness and ability to contribute. If the triple lock prevents Ireland from participating in the international missions that support security, stability and peace, we will gradually diminish our standing as an international partner and shrink our influence in the institutions and relationships where decisions about European and global security are made. We cannot expect to retain the standing earned through decades of international service while hobbling our ability to serve.

Some public debate has suggested that removing the triple lock would expose Irish soldiers to participation in a Lebanese civil war (among other potential conflicts), or that the EU intends to replace peacekeeping with peace enforcement. This conflates fundamentally different activities. Training and advising the armed forces of a recognised government, with that government's consent, does not in itself constitute participation as a belligerent in an internal conflict. Nor does the provision of security-sector assistance automatically constitute peace enforcement. The legal character of an operation depends on its mandate, activities, consent arrangements and applicable international law, not simply on the presence of military personnel.

This distinction raises a second concern with the Government's proposed legislation. The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2026 expressly provides for deployments as part of international forces undertaking peacekeeping, peace enforcement or conflict prevention, consistent with the principles of the UN Charter. However, it does not define these terms or clearly distinguish between them. Peacekeeping and peace enforcement are not interchangeable. Traditional peacekeeping generally operates with the consent of the principal parties to a conflict and relies on impartiality and the limited use of force. Peace enforcement can involve the use of military force without the consent of those parties. These differences have significant implications for the nature, risks and political legitimacy of an operation.

Volt Ireland therefore believes that removing the UN Security Council requirement should be accompanied by clearer statutory safeguards. Legislation should define peacekeeping and peace enforcement, establish the circumstances in which each may be undertaken, and distinguish both from other forms of international security assistance, including training, advisory and capacity-building missions. Proposed deployments should also be subject to a transparent legal assessment of their mandate, objectives and consistency with international law. Parliamentary oversight should remain central, with the Oireachtas receiving meaningful information about the purpose, scope and duration of overseas deployments.

The principle at stake is straightforward. Ireland should retain the ability to decide, through its own democratic institutions, whether and how its Defence Forces contribute to international peace and security. That decision must be grounded in international law, accountable to the Irish people and informed by the actual character of the mission concerned. It should not depend on whether one of five permanent members of the Security Council chooses to permit it.

We should not lose sight of the purpose of our peacekeeping tradition while defending the defunct mechanism through which it was once expressed. Ireland's contribution to international peace is measured by what we are prepared and able to do, not by preserving a procedural arrangement that can prevent us from doing it. Volt Ireland supports removing the triple lock's UN mandate requirement, while ensuring that the law clearly defines and safeguards the purposes for which Irish personnel may be deployed overseas.

Volt Ireland co-lead, Nina van den Bergh, attended the Summit. During the conference, many innovative bio-based technologies were showcased, including building bricks made from hemp fibre, pencils that can grow into plants, and algae-based plastics. As the variety of technologies shows, there is no shortage of sustainable solutions which can contribute to a more environmentally friendly economy and society.

Continued investment in developing sustainable solutions is necessary; however, it is not the biggest obstacle to meeting climate targets. The main challenges to realising this economy are policy coherence, implementation, and scalability. Volt Ireland believes that a future-proof economy that is circular, uses sustainable technologies, increases equality, and creates jobs and market opportunities is vital. Therefore, clear long-term strategies and investment are crucial, and the government will play a major role in facilitating the sustainable transition.

Knowledge exchange and international collaboration are essential to combat the obstacles, especially within the European Union. When implementing targeted policies, local knowledge and expertise must be better utilised, as local actors know the region best and what it needs. Collaboration and the exchange of best practices between similar EU regions are also vital, as they often face similar challenges.

Scientists alone cannot drive the sustainable transition; industry support is needed, and most importantly, stakeholder dialogue is needed to ensure local communities can profit from the transition, for instance, through job and industry creation and targeted reskilling and education programs for domestic workers.  

Volt Ireland wants to facilitate the transition to create a sustainable Ireland for its citizens that future generations can also enjoy. 

The Government is asking Irish families to plan for potential threats. It should also explain what it is doing to prepare the country for them. More than two million Irish households are this week receiving the Government’s Be Emergency Ready booklet, encouraging them to make a plan for emergency situations. Families are advised, for example, to keep adequate supplies of food and water, maintain alternative means of communication and to discuss with neighbours how to manage emergency situations. This is all ostensibly sensible - it is difficult to object to keeping a torch and some bottled water under the sink. The guidance is so generic though that, but for a vague reference to cyber threats, it could have been published at almost any point in the history of the State. The only meaningful takeaway, although not explicitly stated, is that in certain circumstances households should not expect immediate or adequate assistance from the State, and should be ready to fend for themselves for a time.

This is not necessarily an indictment of government callousness – even wealthy states cannot prevent every emergency, nor should they pretend they can. Indeed, the EU acknowledges as much. It is encouraging resiliency in Member States’ national security and emergency planning through its preparedness union strategy, and is monitoring observance of obligations under its Critical Entities Resilience (CER) directive.

The galling thing about the Irish government’s approach, though, is both where they draw the line between public and private responsibility for preparedness, and its lack of transparency about its threat assessments. People can reasonably prepare for a storm, a flood or a prolonged power cut, but how exactly is the average Irish family supposed to plan for “cyber attacks and disruptions to critical supply chains”, as listed in the document? These are national security issues, not household-level contingencies. The public can accept that the government cannot control the weather and occasional disruptions are to be expected, especially as the impact of climate change is worsening. But cyber-attacks and attacks on critical infrastructure and supply chains are not natural phenomena. The impression this document gives is that hostile actors are as difficult to predict and as impossible to deter as bad weather.

To be fair, the Government has some measures in place. In 2020 it released a civil defence plan Towards 2030 which defined roles and capabilities for non-geopolitical emergencies, and it also released in 2026 the National Strategy on the Resilience of Critical Entities 2026–2029. These are useful pieces of the preparedness architecture, but neither answers the questions raised by the Be Emergency Ready campaign. If the State is preparing for cyber-attacks and disruptions to critical supply chains, what does it believe the threats actually are? Who might cause them? What capabilities does Ireland need to prevent, withstand and respond to them?

These are national security questions. They require more than sporadic, unconnected plans for individual sectors, but rather a coherent assessment of the strategic environment in which all sectors and levels of society operate, and proactive policy responses. A National Security Strategy should provide precisely that framework, and in every other EU member state it does – Ireland is the only exception. An overarching national security strategy provides an assessment of likely threats, identifies the capabilities required to address them, and sets national priorities for budgeting and the use of political capital. Without it, individual preparedness measures risk becoming an incoherent collection of responses without a unifying understanding of the problems they are intended to address.

Ireland has been waiting for such a strategy for years. Following the 2015 White Paper on Defence Government announced in 2019 the development of the first National Security Strategy for the State to cover the period 2020–2025. COVID-19 and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine were cited as reasons for prolonged delays. Five years after the original deadline, and despite repeated calls from experts, industry, and the Oireachtas to ensure its urgent prioritisation, the strategy remains missing. 

This is the absurdity of the Be Emergency Ready campaign. The Government is asking households to make a plan for what happens when normality breaks down, while the State itself has yet to transparently articulate its own thinking about what could cause that breakdown, what it intends to do about it, and what risks it is prepared to accept. If preparedness is sensible for an individual household, it is difficult to explain why it should not be the organising principle of national security policy.

The answer to these questions cannot simply be to keep three days’ worth of dry food and a battery-powered radio on the shelf. Those are sensible measures for citizens because there are limits to what any State can guarantee. But when the Government asks people to prepare for cyber-attacks, disrupted supply chains and other threats arising from an increasingly unstable international environment, it owes them far more than a checklist of generic tips.

Raising public transport costs during an ongoing cost-of-living crisis fails citizens and defies good sense. When fares are lower, people can move around more easily, reducing reliance on cars. By pushing through fare increases, the Government sends a clear, damaging message to every non-driver in the country.

The Taoiseach has said transport fares have to rise in order for services to be expanded. Mr Taoiseach, there are better and fairer ways to fund improvements in a public service that has been lacking for decades. Squeezing everyday commuters to cover costs only drives people back into private cars. 

Making users pay more for a transport service that has only deteriorated over the past 10 years, with ever-increasing delays. Meanwhile, the government has subsidised petrol and diesel. This gives the impression that this government rewards polluting car drivers while penalising commuters who use public transport. Furthermore, this increase is only a prelude to more fare hikes: as the NTA stated, it will reevaluate fares every year from now on.

Ireland needs more than expanded services. It needs real transport transformation, which requires serious capital investment and less short-term thinking. We need to adapt our cities to the 21st century by adapting infrastructure to current challenges. Transformation means investing in electric public transport, cycling infrastructure in every town and city, and a national EV charging network. Across Europe, modern transport systems are built on long-term infrastructure funding.

Volt Ireland advocates for a National Infrastructure Bank that can leverage EU investment funds, green bonds, and public investment to accelerate projects that serve the public interest. We support shifting the financial burden away from daily users through targeted measures like congestion charging to fund public transport improvements and reduce air pollution.

Public transport is an essential public utility. When you fund it with citizen bailouts, you punish the people who keep our cities running.

👉 Read the joint Commuter Coalition release

👉 Contact your local TD, get the email template

👉 Join Volt Ireland and help make the change

New leadership, same commitment

New leadership brings renewed energy and enthusiasm to empower Irish citizens, implement practical and progressive policies, and collaborate with Volt teams across Europe to build a fairer, more democratic, and sustainable society. 

During the Irish Presidency of the EU, we can find momentum to scale up our activities. I am delighted that a new set of people will step up to the challenge and put new energy into the chapter. I will of course remain part of the leadership team and help out wherever I can. - Eddy Hartog 

A message to keep to heart 💜

We’re living in a time of tension, uncertainties and polarisation that needs a unified voice of Europe. A voice that embraces diversity, sustainability, innovative technological solutions, and democracy. Volt Ireland advocates for this voice, for deeper European integration, but not by maintaining the current status quo. Institutional reforms are needed to strengthen the EU's capacity and ability to act effectively in a rapidly changing international environment. Volt Ireland believes that Irish citizens must play an active role in shaping that future. Irish voices must not only be better represented at the EU level; the European perspective must also have a stronger presence in the Dáil and the Seanad.

👉 If you agree, why not get involved?

What’s next for Volt Ireland?

300 is the magic number 

Since officially launching just over a year ago, our membership has steadily grown to around 100 members. To become a registered political party in Ireland, we need at least 300 members. Reaching that number is priority number one right now. Because once Volt Ireland is legally registered, we can start to really make a difference and offer a fresh alternative to traditional party politics, rooted in Irish values and strengthened by European solidarity.

👉 Are you ready to join Volt Ireland? Become a member here. We can’t wait to meet you!

Fighting for our right to housing, together 🏡

But the work has already begun. There are issues that can’t wait, and one is housing. Right now, we are taking part in cross-party engagement around the Right to Housing. Right to Housing is a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), a democratic instrument that allows EU citizens to put a topic on the EU's political agenda and demand action. Once 1 million people across the EU sign, the European Commission is obliged to respond. Signature collection starts in September 2026. With thousands of vacant properties across Ireland and Europe, and an environment that favours investors instead of citizens, the time to act is now to ensure affordability forever through fair rules, public investment in non-profit housing, and climate safeguards.

✍️ Every signature counts. Add yours now!

👉 We’ll have more about the Right-to-Housing initiative in the coming days and weeks. Follow Volt Ireland on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay informed and connected.

Member meetup in Dublin

And of course, no announcement would be complete without an invitation to meet in person! We are hosting an informal get-together on Friday the 25th of September at The Bar with No Name on Fade Street. We’d be so happy to see you there! We’ll gather from 18:30 🎉

We’ll have plenty more meetups throughout the country in the coming months; this is just the beginning!

👉  Sign up for our newsletter and get notified about future events.

That’s it for now! Thanks for reading. 

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👉 Share your thoughts with us here. We read every submission, and your input helps guide our policy and priorities from the ground up.

Get Involved

🔹 Join the movement: Become a member, volunteer, or supporter and help us build Volt Ireland from day one.
🔹 Be heard: Attend our events, join a local team, and contribute your voice to shaping our platform.
🔹 Be Volt: Step into a new kind of politics — collaborative, transparent, and truly European.

Let’s build a better Ireland — in a stronger Europe. Together.

The two days consisted of events suitable for everybody’s needs, including political debates with our elected MEPs from the Netherlands and Germany about big tech regulation, the future of agricultural production or how to measure a country’s prosperity on more than just GDP.
There was a small market with one-on-one discussions with our European thematic communities, for instance to learn about what policies the HealthCom is working on on a European level, or DefCom, that talks about defence and security policies. All communities are also available online, where Volt Members can access their ‘hubs’ on the Haiilo (https://volt.haiilo.app/) by signing in with your Volt Europa address.

And last but not least, there were many opportunities to go out and meet fellow Volters during a meal or a drink with the main evening event being split between a Volt party in a techno club, and drinks in a local Irish pub. It was such an amazing weekend, full of both political and social content, that I for one have already signed up for next year’s GA in Bratislava in June 2026!

👉 Watch the intro video for the GA in Bratislava 2026
👉 You can already purchase tickets

We’ve expanded our social media presence and you can now also follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn! We’re looking forward to hearing from you, come say Hi!

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Bluesky

Volt Ireland brings this vision home. We aim to empower Irish citizens, apply practical and progressive policies, and collaborate with Volt teams across Europe to build a fairer, more democratic, and sustainable society. We offer a fresh alternative to traditional party politics — one rooted in Irish values and strengthened by European solidarity.

If you're passionate about creating a more equal society, addressing the housing crisis, tackling climate breakdown, or protecting democracy, there's a place for you here.

We also recognise that Ireland faces unique challenges not always mirrored elsewhere in Europe. From the lingering effects of Brexit and North-South policy tensions, to a struggling healthcare system and a housing crisis pushing people to the brink — Ireland needs new ideas and new energy. That’s why our policy team has made healthcare and housing our top priorities as we establish Volt Ireland, and we’re actively developing concrete, workable solutions to address them.

But we also know that no single group has all the answers. That's why we’re inviting you to help shape our direction. We want to hear from people across Ireland — about what matters to you and how we can work together to make real change happen.

👉 [Share your thoughts with us here] – we read every submission, and your input helps guide our policy and priorities from the ground up.

Get Involved

🔹 Join the movement: Become a member, volunteer, or supporter and help us build Volt Ireland from day one.
🔹 Be heard: Attend our events, join a local team, and contribute your voice to shaping our platform.
🔹 Be Volt: Step into a new kind of politics — collaborative, transparent, and truly European.

Let’s build a better Ireland — in a stronger Europe. Together.

The latest homeless numbers show that there are now more than 12,600 people homeless in Ireland: another record high in a long series of sad records.

This increase is a clear result of the government’s decision in April to end the eviction ban that had been introduced last autumn. There was no good reason to do this, and it again showed that the government puts the interests of landlords over those of renters.

Better tenant protection is key to solving the housing crisis, together with significant spending on building apartments, penalising dereliction, and taxing land and property hoarding.

An Open Society

At the same time, refugees had and still have to sleep in the streets and are being attacked, or they are being stopped by so-called concerned protesters from moving into dedicated refugee accommodation.

In this context, the EU officially wrote to the Irish government, expressing their concern over Ireland not meeting human rights commitments. To be clear, the lack of refugee accommodation is a consequence of failed housing policies, not of too many people coming to Ireland.

Investment

All this happens while the country is richer than ever. Budget talks started early this year, with many groups throwing in ideas how we should use the billions of surplus tax money as per the figures released by the Department of Finance.

Volt believes that we should invest in infrastructure, including housing, instead of wasting it on short-term measures. We need more apartments, not tax reliefs.

Sustainability

Investment is also urgently needed to move Ireland to a sustainable net zero carbon society. In the European Parliament, the EPP, of which Fine Gael is a member, tried to block the EU’s nature restoration legislation, showing that they are not willing to follow through on Ireland’s international commitments to fight climate change.

Thankfully the law progressed despite claims that the law was anti-farmer or anti-rural Ireland and would put food security at risk. The opposite is true. Not protecting the environment and our natural habitats would in fact lead to dire consequences for Ireland, and farmers will have to play a crucial role in moving towards a more sustainable society.

The last two months illustrated again that we need a clear vision for Ireland’s future based on long-term thinking, better planning to implement it, and the ambition to drive it.

The Good Friday Agreement’s big success was the reconciliation of the Protestant/ Unionist and Catholic/ Nationalist communities. But what used to be a society defined by these two very distinct communities is now becoming more and more diverse, with people having different identities, including Irish, British, Irish-British, Northern Irish, European, non-European and many more.

A growing number of people believe that this is one of the reasons why the Good Friday Agreement needs to be reviewed. Especially younger people want to redefine what Northern Ireland needs in the next 25 years and beyond.

Volt strongly supports the Good Friday Agreement, but we also encourage exploring new ways of thinking, fulfilling the initial promise of the treaty.

Powersharing should be reviewed as it has been turned into a party-political tool to shut down government. The people of Northern Ireland deserve better.

Another policy that should be driven with renewed focus is introducing non-segregated schools across the country which would be one of the most impactful measures. Children and young adults that grow up and learn together will no longer see the dividing lines of the past but, instead, build a joint future.

The newly agreed Windsor Framework puts Northern Ireland in a unique position to become one of the most interesting economic areas on the planet. If done correctly, this could result in significant investment, wealth creation, and new opportunities.

Looking back at the achievements of the last 25 years should inspire us to look forward and imagine what’s possible in the next 25 years. On this journey, our focus should be on citizen rights, inclusion, equality, continued peace, and new prosperity for all.

We call on the Russian government to immediately cease its military operations and terror campaign against Ukraine and to withdraw its troops from the territories it occupies. We stand together with the Russian citizens who voice genuine opposition to the war and resist to the best of their ability.

We welcome the proposals for a 10-point peace plan made by President Zelensky at the G20 meeting in Bali for a complete termination of hostilities by Russia and for binding security guarantees for Ukraine.

The primary responsibility for this war falls on the shoulders of the current regime in Russia, which has taken on an increasingly authoritarian nature and aggressive foreign policy.

Despite not having responded strongly enough to Russian aggressions in 2008 and 2014, Western countries must demonstrate unity and determination. We have to keep coordinating our actions, to provide Ukraine with all the military and economic support it needs to defend itself and retake its occupied territories.

European countries need to adopt tangible deterrence policies and prepare European citizens if and when increased escalation, or threat thereof, from Russia would demand greater support to Ukraine, including economic, humanitarian and military support.

We must increase our preparedness for the possibility of a nuclear incident or accident, redouble our efforts to build a common European defence force, and achieve energy independence from Russia.

Meanwhile, the EU and its allies should reinforce the economic sanctions and expand them to cover all materials critical for the Russian military effort. They should also pressure third countries to stop providing military materiel and critical technologies to Russia, including re-exports.

Targeted sanctions on individual Russian leaders should intensify. The EU should consider a de facto ban on all tourist visas from Russia, while allowing legitimate refugees to escape Putin’s regime. We applaud efforts to combat Russian disinformation campaigns while respecting the fundamental right to freedom of speech. Ukraine must be provided with all the humanitarian help needed to survive the harsh winter. The EU should also extend the status of temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals fleeing the conflict.

A quick end to the war will be the best way to avoid the high cost in lives and the economic impact. But an end to this war cannot come at the cost of justice and future peace. We support a full investigation into war crimes committed as well as the demand for damages paid to Ukraine for the destruction Russia caused.

Besides this, the EU should take up the task of postwar reconstruction as agreed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (the ‘Lugano principles’). All Ukrainian refugees must be allowed to return to their homes. Finally, Ukraine should remain free to choose its own future, including becoming a candidate for EU membership.

Being part of the EU was a crucial condition to grow the Irish economy, especially after the end of the Cold War and after the signing of the Belfast agreement, when Ireland found a new position for itself in a more and more globalised world.

During this time Ireland became a wealthier and a much more open society. Yet, there remain unsolved challenges that we need to urgently address.

How can we make sure that this wealth is used to make Ireland a more sustainable place to live?

Climate change

Fighting climate change is the overarching principle that all other measures and policies need to help work towards.

Let’s look at Transport as one of the key challenges in Ireland. The latest INRIX 2022 Global Traffic Report showed that Dublin and Galway were the 4th and 7th most-congested cities in Europe!

Yet, transport emissions in the State must fall 50 per cent by 2030 under the Government’s climate action plan. Even the OECD recommends Ireland that simply replacing fossil fuel cars with electric vehicles won’t do.

A strong shift to public transport and active travel is crucial. One solution would be the expansion of rail and light rail systems across Ireland as they have a huge potential to remove congestion from Irish cities and ultimately make them much more liveable.

Housing

With latest reports indicating that the Irish housing need is twice that of current government goals, we need to do much more to address the housing crisis by treating it as the emergency it is.

Housing has big implications on people’s lives, and young people are most affected by the crisis. By 2019, only 27% of 25-34 year-olds were living independently, making this cohort one of the least independent in Europe. Densification, urbanisation and addressing vacancy and dereliction are important steps to fix housing, and to allow every young adult to live on their own and lead an independent life.

Healthcare

Just as the annual flu season (including the usual prolonged waiting times in hospitals, numbers of patients on trolleys etc.) seemed to quiet down, the interim report on Camhs showed that Ireland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is not fit for purpose, failing children and adolescents and their families.

It is no wonder that there has been an increase in children and young adults showing signs of mental health issues. Young people are facing the most uncertain times in generations: Two years of a global pandemic, the climate crisis, housing, Russia’s war in Ukraine.

We need to make sure that the Irish health system meets the mental health needs of children and young adults. Urgent action is needed so that we don’t create a lost generation.

Tell Us What You Think

If you want to get actively involved in shaping how politics is done in Ireland, or if you want to share your view on what you think we need to do to solve some of the problems in Ireland, please reach out to us. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Only in recent history has Ireland experienced the opposite – increased levels of immigration into the country – and we believe that this inflow of people has had a very positive impact on Irish society.

We can already see today that the lines between who is a refugee, an asylum seeker or a work migrant are becoming more and more blurred. Climate change is only going to blur those lines even further and accelerate migration movements.

More people will come, so we need to make sure that we have put the necessary system in place to handle immigration and that, as a society, we can offer perspective and create opportunities for migrants.

Volt’s position on migration is clear: The EU is in desperate need of a common and humane migration and asylum policy, with a transparent mechanism to hold the institutions accountable.

In Volt we believe that a lot of problems have been figured out by at least one other country or city and we should learn from their best practices.

The Belgian city of Mechelen has run a very successful strategy on how to include refugees and migrants built on the three pillars of Fighting Segregation, Keeping our Society’s Promise, and Finding new Narratives.

The Grass is Actually Greener

Housing refugees is just another aspect of the overall housing crisis which has become so severe that refugees are now at risk of not being provided with accommodation.

Overall homeless numbers have just surpassed 11,000 for the first time since current records started in 2014, and Dublin is again the most expensive capital in the EU to rent a place while available rental accommodation is scarce.

According to the latest census Ireland has enough vacant buildings to house all homeless people and more. Volt believes that vacancy and dereliction need to be penalised as the vandalism they are. If we want to have a chance to fix the housing crisis we need to build more but also use the buildings that are already built.

Again, Volt’s best practice approach can help. Here are just a few examples:

1. Finland’s ‘Housing First’ policy proves that homelessness is avoidable

2. Paris’s public housing push aimed at offsetting soaring rents

3. Why Rents in Vienna Are So Damn Cheap

For now, housing is at the core of the problem. Ireland is not full, in fact it’s the opposite. As one of the less densely populated countries in the EU, what is most important for Ireland is to build capacity. Capacity not just to house migrants but to house all.

A big part of the agenda was to lay the groundwork for our next main political priority: the European Elections in 2024. Volt wants to run in as many countries as possible with the clear aim to improve our results from 3 years ago and to work towards our goal of forming our own faction in the European Parliament.

But of course the GA was not only about politics. At least just as important was the social aspect. Spending a weekend with so many different people from all over Europe is not only a lot of fun but also a great booster for the motivation and passion we hold for the entire Pan-European project that is Volt.

Taking part in this event, we were met with excitement by other chapters who were delighted to meet members of Volt Ireland. It became clear that Ireland can have a strong voice within Volt and to shape the movement.

If you want to get actively involved in our chapter, please reach out to us. We’d love to have you on board and to engage in this journey to shape Irish society and Irish politics.

Volt Greece registered as official party

Volt Greece has officially registered as a political party and is now able to run in all Greek elections.

Congratulations to the entire Greek team for achieving this milestone!

If you want to help us register as a political party in Ireland, you can sign the online form on our website. Thank you for your support!

The people of NI now need their elected representatives to get back to work and deal with the urgent issues that affect their lives – such as health, education and the cost of living crisis.  Since 2016, the British Government has used Northern Ireland as a political leverage, both to deflect from internal problems within the Conservative Party, and to encourage the EU to provide a better trade agreement.

Both communities’ interests must be respected, we don’t want unionists to feel that their place in the UK is threatened, but by revoking the NI Protocol, they’re not addressing the root cause of the problem. Brexit is the real problem, not the NI Protocol. Indeed the NI Protocol represents the best possible solution to the three-win challenges of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, and preserving the integrity of the EU’s single market, while respecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.

The NI Protocol provides a unique opportunity for the NI economy – as its businesses have preferential access to both the EU and the UK markets and can exist simultaneously in these two economic zones. Recent economic data from the ONS has shown that Northern Ireland’s economy outperformed the rest of the UK due to the NI Protocol.

If we are to forge new and prosperous relationships between the EU and the UK, it is vital that we recognise NI’s special position within both as a post-conflict society. We need to negotiate in good faith, and build relationships based on openness, mutual trust and mutual respect.  This is not a constitutional issue but a simple recognition of the new realities of post-Brexit Europe.

It is also about being reliable allies and good neighbours.  In order to ensure that the voices of NI citizens continue to be heard in the EU, Volt is proposing that the three seats previously allocated to NI in the European Parliament should be reinstated. Like everyone in the UK, the people of NI have lost the many rights and privileges of being full European citizens – but their voices still need to be heard as we build our ever-closer and ever-stronger European Union.

Volt is a pan-European party which values regional differences and cultural diversity as part of a strong European Union. Northern Ireland cannot afford to go back to the dark days of its past. Northern Ireland’s success benefits all – Northern Ireland, the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Europe.

Volt Ireland, the Irish wing of the party, has called on Minister Simon Coveney to take full advantage of Ireland’s position on the UN Security Council, and as a historically neutral country, in working towards a return to peace in eastern Ukraine.

“The decision to move so-called Russian ‘peacekeeper’ forces into Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of eastern Ukraine is a blatant violation of Ukrainian sovereignty”, said Marcus Matthews, President of Volt Ireland, “and one that deserves swift and stern sanctions from the entire European Union, including Ireland. The Irish people quickly recognise partition in action, regardless of how the Kremlin attempts to shape the narrative, and as such we call on Minister Coveney to use Irish position in the UNSC and as a historically neutral country to its best advantage possible in calling for peace, while supporting national and European sanctions against Russia until peace is achieved once more.”

The fact that President Putin has referred to Ukraine as “a modern construct that is inextricably linked to Russia” paves the way for a larger scale invasion of the Country. This is why Volt calls on the European Union to answer with unity, strength, and severe sanctioning.

If the Russian Federation does not retracts its troops, Volt urges the international community to:

sanction Russian banks, companies, military personnel, and other Kremlin-linked individuals, their families, and their business partners;
stop all business deals with the Russian state, Kremlin-associated individuals, and companies;
freeze all assets of state-owned companies or companies and individuals associated with the Kremlin.

The European Union must respond swiftly and rigorously to this breach of international law and of the Minsk Agreements. Uncoordinated responses and lack of unity among the member states not only hurt the European project but also harm the results we want to achieve.

The European Union and especially its member states have to prove that the citizens of Ukraine and Ukraine’s sovereignty are worth more than financial and trade concerns. This is why we reiterate our demands and we urge the EU and its allies to hit the Russian government with massive and targeted sanctions:

sanction Russian banks, companies, military personnel, and other Kremlin-linked individuals, their families, and their business partners;
stop all business deals with the Russian state, Kremlin-associated individuals, and companies;
freeze all assets of state-owned companies or companies and individuals associated with the Kremlin.

While we still hope for a quick end to this conflict and for a diplomatic solution, this seems improbable for the time being. European countries must prepare to welcome and care for Ukrainian refugees in coordination with the European Agency for Asylum.

If there was ever a test for the European Union to show strength and unity, this is it. We must not leave Ukraine and the Ukrainian people to fend for themselves.”

For more context on Volt Europa’s position: Volt Europa.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, has also confirmed Ireland’s alignment with the international community in condemning the invasion and stating that Ireland is not taking a neutral stance on this aggression. Ireland is also waiving visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens.

Earlier this month, Volt Ireland also published a statement on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, calling upon Minister Coveney to ensure Ireland’s position in the UN Security Council, as well as its voice in Europe, is heard loudly on this matter. To see the full statement, visit Volt Ireland Website.

Portugal: Constitutional Court Decision

In other news, the influence of small parties on the status quo was demonstrated strongly earlier this month, when the Constitutional Court agreed with Volt Portugal that counting the ballot papers without clear identification of the voter is illegal.

For voters residing abroad, they are now legally required to include all necessary documentation such as photocopies of their voter identification, as those within Portugal must. Other political parties had informally agreed, in a meeting, to not enforce the requirement for postal votes, which Volt Portugal argued in its court appeal to be against the law.

This will mean that counting the votes at the roundtables will need to be repeated, and removes the possibility of political parties that are competing for votes to determine the requirements of which votes are valid or not.

Volt Participates in Swiss Elections

On February 14, Volt participated in elections in Switzerland for the first time. The Swiss chapter of Volt, with assistance from members in Germany, forwarded candidates in Zurich, Kreis (districts) 7+8, and 10. Overall, candidates Danilo Lo Pumo, Nicola Giuliani, and Steffen Lemmerzahl netted over one thousand votes!

We (Still) Need Your Voice!

Volt Ireland continues to look for your support by adding your signature to our Register Together campaign! We need 300 signatures, from Irish citizens and EU citizens resident in Ireland, to enable Volt to legally register as a political party in Ireland. Visit our website to learn more about how you can help, to sign up to our newsletter, or to become a volunteer or member.

For all questions, or if you have any feedback for us, please reach out to tobias.baum@volteuropa.org or find us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Stay safe!

Yet, as the financial crisis has shown, the Euro has some inherent weaknesses that Volt believes must be resolved to strengthen not only the Euro but the EU as a whole. Hence, future-proofing the Euro is part of our 5+1 challenges.

To kick-off the year, we want to have a look at Ireland’s closest EU neighbour: France. That’s right, after the UK has left the EU, France is now Ireland’s closest EU neighbour.

For the first half of 2022, France holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during which we can assume that French president, Emmanuel Macron, will put a strong focus on European integration.

Volt France took the French EU presidency as a starting point to bring together all country chapters and create their Whitepaper: The European Momentum, a list of 27 concessions to legitimize the EU for the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The list consists of one concession per EU member country to drive European integration, covering topics such as Rule of Law, Finance, Climate, Democracy & Human Rights, and Security.

French Irish Relations

France and Ireland have established strong relations during the 20th century and work closely together on a cultural, economic, and political level.

There are approximately 10,000 French living in Ireland (2013 CSO data) although unofficial estimates are closer to 20,000, and roughly 60% of Irish secondary school students study French.

In 2018, Ireland joined the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) as an observer country. The OIF, or simply Francophonie, is an international organization representing countries in which French is a widely spoken language or where there is a notable connection with France and its culture.

In economic terms, France is Ireland’s 6th largest supplier and 6th largest customer (2013 CSO data) highlighting the strong economic ties between the two countries. One of the big projects that are currently being developed is the so-called Celtic interconnector: a submarine power cable between the coast of Ireland and the coast of France that is planned to be built by 2026.

The most obvious level of political cooperation is of course the European Union. But Ireland and France also work together on a global level, especially as Ireland currently has a seat at the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member while France is a permanent member.

Volt France’s concession in the above-mentioned European Momentum whitepaper is to cede France’s permanent seat to the EU!

At home, France has important elections coming up in spring 2022.

On April 10th and 24th the French will be asked to elect a new president. France has a two-round system for its presidential elections, and, as one of the big EU member states, the result will be important too for smaller countries like Ireland.

Macron’s electoral success in 2017 pretty much broke the traditional left-right duopoly in France, while this time he’s facing three main opponents reaching from the center-right to the far-right. Several low-polling candidates on the left are unlikely to make it to the second round.

We will keep a close eye on the electoral campaign and keep you posted.

For all questions, or if you have any feedback for us, please reach out to tobias.baum@volteuropa.org or find us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Stay safe!

What did the OECD countries actually agree on? Their two key goals are to partially tax companies in countries where their profits are earned, and to introduce a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%.

It is important to highlight that no final deal has been struck yet, and some believe this to be the main reason why Ireland has so far rejected the agreement and that the Irish government will only agree to it once it is clear what the final deal will actually look like. Maybe Ireland would have fared better by joining the group early and actively shaping the deal from within.

In the past, Ireland rejected EU proposals for further tax alignment across the union, insisting that a deal should be struck at OECD level. Now that an agreement has arrived (probably sooner than expected), Ireland opposed it, insisting that the 12.5 % tax rate was an integral part of Irish fiscal and economic policy, thereby guaranteeing Irish wealth.

There is no doubt that the Irish tax system has been crucial in Ireland’s economic boom of the last 30 years and more. But it might be time to move on and shift the focus to other key metrics that create wealth in Ireland, such as high-standard public services, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, and housing.

Considering that the potential tax increase is only one of 2.5 percentage points, it is unlikely that companies who have grown strong roots in Ireland will leave Ireland only because of this minor increase. Ireland would still offer one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the EU as many of the bigger countries would not reduce their much higher rates as they require that money to finance their public services.

Besides, the pandemic has shown that the Irish state as well will need to increase spending on public services such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and housing to fix the most pressing issues in Ireland. So, a 15% minimum tax rate should be welcomed as an option for Ireland to widen its tax base.

Apart from its low corporate tax rates, Ireland has profited just as much from its EU membership, especially following the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of the Eastern bloc. Ireland has transformed into one of the best-connected economies in the world and has earned a high reputation for its openness, reliability, and stability but the rejection of the agreement risks damaging that reputation.

This comes on top of the reputational damage which Ireland suffered from enabling companies to avoid tax through a set of more than questionable taxation practices, although most of those loopholes have now been closed.

At a time when Ireland has a seat at the UN Security Council we should lead by example. Ireland enables tax avoidance on a massive global scale. Tax evasion hurts people and societies, it is not a crime without victims. It also affects poorer, developing countries which Ireland on the other hand supports with development aid monies.

Volt believes in fair taxation as a foundation for a fair society. It is important that companies meet their responsibility by paying their fair share towards this fair society.

Other European countries that have a similar reputation to Ireland backed the agreement, most notably the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, Volt is also campaigning for putting an end to the Dutch tax system that enables tax avoidance.

Volt Ireland believes that closer tax alignment both within the EU and on a global level is a necessary tool to fight inequality by giving countries the financial means to invest in their societies.

It is often said that Ireland has more to offer than sweetheart tax deals: education, EU membership, political stability, English native speakers, strong business networks with the US and the UK. We should be more self-confident that companies want to do business here for other reasons than for paying less tax.

This is why we need to make sure that all these drivers of economic growth get properly funded to create fair and equal opportunities for everybody and to make Ireland a better place to live. Eventually it is people who drive inventions and hence economic growth, not tax.