Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP:

I hope our opening comments will contribute to a lively debate. It is good to have this opportunity to be present.

When we speak of the European Union, we should speak of optimism, not pessimism, as we mark our 40 years of EU membership. It is a difficult time for many people in Ireland who are being left behind, but it is not a difficult time for everybody. We need to remind ourselves of that because sometimes we talk ourselves into doom and gloom. The rest of us can do something to assist those who are having difficulty.

In the few minutes I have, I want to speak a little about solidarity within Ireland, the European Union and further afield. In spite of the economic crisis, the European Union has been a great success. After nearly 70 years of peace and when Croatia joins in July, the Union will have 28 members, with a number of other states seeking to join. For some of my fellow MEPs from the former Soviet bloc, this is nothing short of a miracle.

Since 1973, Ireland has always been at the heart of the European project. This January we commenced our seventh Presidency of the European Union in 40 years. Our country, which was once solely dependent on agriculture and the British market, has grown into a diversified economy, with IT and financial services, agriculture and food, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. We have access to 500 million consumers as part of the Single Market. We have one Commissioner, just like Germany has, and one Minister at the Council of Ministers, as do all the other member states. The Secretary General of the Commission is Irish, as was the Secretary General before her. We need to remind ourselves of what life was like before we joined compared with what it is like now.

At some stage in the future, if we are faced with Britain deciding it wants to have a different relationship with the European Union, I believe we will have decided our die is cast. The day we joined the European Union was the day we became truly sovereign. Until then, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer set the interest rate and value of our currency. We thought our biggest export was agricultural produce but our biggest export was people. When I first became a Deputy and Member of this House, I was given 1,000 signatures from one parish alone of people who had been waiting for up to five years for a telephone.

We need sometimes to reflect on where we have come from and where we are now.

We might also reflect on Europe. Europe has not faced such an economic challenge since the 1930s. The difference this time is that through co-operation between the EU and the eurozone, these challenges are being met and confidence has returned. There are many economic issues to be addressed and the machinery to deal with these is, in the main, in place or about to be put in place. History may speak of the second part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century more approvingly than current commentary. This time may well be spoken of in future years as the golden era. Why then are we not getting this message out? What has happened to us that we do not see the opportunities and the reality of what has taken place?

The Second World War finally ended in 1989-1990 when the Berlin Wall came down. The euro was then introduced so that a united Germany would be integrated into Europe and Europe would not become Germanic. In an extraordinary move, the EU took in ten, soon to be 11, former Soviet dominated countries. The worst crisis since the Great Depression then hit, which we dealt with despite our not having in place the foundations to support a single currency. These foundations are now almost all in place. As the world recovers, in the opinion of many leading figures, Europe will be strongest part of the west in economic terms. Because of these foundations, future economic challenges when they inevitably arise will be easier to meet and recovery will be more sustained.

Currently, Ireland's per capitaincome is three times that of its fellow EU and euro country, Estonia. It is important we remember this when speaking about the need for solidarity. I believe solidarity needs to start at home. Within a generation, the population of the world will increase by 2 billion, from approximately 6 billion to approximately 8 billion. Some 90% of this new population will be born into what is now known as the developing world. The world's population is moving eastward and southwards, bringing with it many opportunities and challenges. I will return to this issue later before concluding my remarks.

The EU is primarily about stability in economic and broader security terms. We have built an inter-dependence in Europe which is and will continue to pay dividends. Europe must take a view on how it ensures stability in a changing world and not only on the continent of Europe. The United States is no longer prepared to be the world's policeman in all circumstances. If France had not intervened in Mali, who would have done so? What is to happen in Syria? Will the Arab spring evolve into a more stable and democratic region and will Europe assist this? At some point in the future, the European Union's agenda will give greater priority to these broader security matters and the issue of common security and defence will again be discussed. Ireland cannot fudge these issues. We may need security defence cover ourselves, particularly as we are not prepared to fund our defence forces to meet all contingencies.

There is much talk in Ireland about defending our sovereignty. Why then have we not made arrangements to defend? Keeping our heads down or patronising the public with politically correct and soothing language is not what a parliament should do in exercising sovereignty. Sovereignty requires decision making and responsibility taking. It is time for Ireland to debate its future defence and security needs and to provide for them one way or another. As a member of the European Union, what is our view of the future of the Union and a common defence? Parliaments in the other 26 member states debate these matters routinely. What is our view? It is time we expressed it from a national perspective.

If a common EU defence evolves, what will be our position? I would like to set out my position. I believe we should join if we get the right terms. In my opinion, this would involve negotiating an opt-in clause on a case-by-case basis. I believe we would get this option if we involve ourselves in negotiations from the beginning and help to form the rules of any EU common defence. Of course, if we were to join, this would require a referendum in Ireland. If we were to put a good case to the people, I believe they would opt for security and defence cover rather than have no cover. To remain aloof would be to allow the rules to be made by others. If we are to join a common defence later, it will be under the rules made by others. I do not believe we are serving the people's best interests by not talking about what a future EU will be like. The building in Strasbourg in terms of design is incomplete and deliberately so because the European Union is a work in progress. This means it has a further journey to go. While we have a right to say what we believe should be its destination, so too have others. We will have to react to what they say in due course.

Every day, 23,000 children in the developing world die. The good news is that previously 36,000 children died every day. The number of children dying per day has been reduced by 13,000. Ireland has assisted in this by way of voluntary contributions and through our NGOs and missionaries. The fatality rate for children is 68 per 1,000. At the end of the Second World War it was 48 per thousand here. We can make countries in the developing world our trading partners. We can prevent massive migration from south to north. However, we can only do so by investing. Another issue for consideration is why we are not meeting our 0.7% of GNP contribution to overseas development aid. It is in our interest to do so, as well as being our humanitarian duty. I accept that our contribution will decrease as our public finances come under pressure but the percentage should also decrease as our GDP decreases. It should not be a case of a percentage decrease plus a decrease in the amount. This is not just an issue of altruism, these are issues of self interest. If we do not something about the festering, horrible situation in the developing world, the result will be massive migration and a terrible inheritance for our children and grandchildren.

In my opinion, the message in regard to the future of Europe should be solidarity at home, in terms of sharing more of what we have with those who are really struggling, which does not include many of us around this table; solidarity within the European Union - it must be remembered that there are members within the European Union who have only one third of our income; and solidarity internationally, which is what will ensure peace and stability. These are the prerequisites for prosperity. I do not believe we should be reacting and trying to protect or prevent. Rather we have ideas which we should be seeking to get out.