Séamus Boland Engages Pope Leo XIV on Poverty, AI, and Migration

The president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Séamus Boland, met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on Saturday to discuss pressing issues such as poverty, the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI), and migration. Boland, a farmer and civil society advocate from Ballycumber, Co Offaly, expressed that it was “an extraordinary honour” to engage with the Pope, who demonstrated genuine empathy during their conversation.

Boland highlighted the urgent issue of poverty, noting that approximately 21% of people in Europe are facing poverty and social exclusion, which equates to around 90 million individuals. He recalled the significant efforts made by the EU from 2010 to 2020 to eradicate poverty and stressed the need to rekindle this critical debate.

“We didn’t discuss housing today, but housing across Europe is causing enormous poverty among young, working people and older people,” Boland stated. He urged that the EU declare a housing emergency, warning that failing to address the crisis could alienate citizens from democratic institutions. “If current governments don’t deliver real measures to get people back into housing, we are going to drive them away from democratic institutions,” he added.

AI’s Threats to Society

The discussion also addressed the challenges posed by AI, particularly concerning tools that create deepfakes. Boland described these developments as “the newest tragedy” and a significant threat to young users on social media. He conveyed to the Pope that the EU is advocating for stringent regulations on AI, although consensus on the matter remains elusive globally.

“The mental health of young people is becoming a major issue,” Boland noted, with the Pope sharing his empathy for young individuals facing these challenges. Boland also mentioned the potential job displacement caused by AI advancements, emphasizing the importance of proactive political leadership in managing these changes.

“AI is a long way from perfection and can be unreliable,” he remarked. “If we ignore the livelihoods of workers who lose their jobs because of AI, we are creating a spike in unemployment rates we’ve never known before.”

Migration and Human Dignity

During his visit, Boland also praised the ‘Angels Unaware’ sculpture in St Peter’s Square, a tribute to migrants and refugees unveiled by the late Pope Francis in 2019. He reiterated the Pope’s stance on the importance of kindness towards foreigners and called for a comprehensive debate on migration policies in Europe.

“Managing migration badly can pose a greater threat to human dignity,” Boland stated. He emphasized that migration is a natural part of life that must be managed effectively. “Many countries in Europe need migrants. We don’t need uncontrolled management that compromises their dignity or forces them into substandard living conditions.”

Boland reflected on the meeting as an opportunity to convey the EESC’s mission of integrating civil society into policymaking. He cited the response to Storm Éowyn, where civil society organizations were first on the ground to assist. “The place for civil society is not always at the end result, dealing with the disaster, but in the planning for the disaster,” he concluded.

The dialogue between Boland and Pope Leo XIV underscores the intersection of faith, policy, and social issues, highlighting the necessity for collaborative efforts to address the pressing challenges facing Europe today.