Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank both speakers for an in-depth discussion about this issue. I am a relatively new member of this committee, so I am still learning about Europe as I go along, notwithstanding the fact that I am a public representative with a mandate from the people. How do we fill this democratic deficit between the people, parliament and the European Union? The fact we have not come to terms with properly structuring the MEP system is a disaster. If we are talking about accountability and legitimacy in the European Union, someone must convey this to the people. Theoretically, MEPs are challenged with that task. How do they fulfil this role? In the case of Ireland, there were three elected MEPs who packed it in and now have substitutes representing them - Proinsias De Rossa, Joe Higgins and Alan Kelly. It appears to some that election to the European Parliament is used as a route back to the national parliament. Do we treat the European Union as seriously as we ought? How are our MEPs supposed to be conveying the message of work they are doing in Europe to the people?

The committee recently heard an argument - one that was dismissed but worth repeating - that the Irish political system is so clientalist-based that we will never achieve a sense of political reality unless the multiseat constituency concept is changed to stop the incredible competition between political parties and members of parties. Is there a domestic platform for MEPs? It would seem this fundamental structure is missing and MEPs have no domestic platform to convey the work they are doing. Then it falls upon committees like this to come to terms with the European project.

Does the delegation agree that to develop the concept of the economic and monetary union and bring the people along with its debate, that more of our Ministers, Prime Ministers and committee chairmen should spend less time at home and work more on the European agenda? We know from our EU Presidency term that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and other Ministers are forever out of the country doing productive work for the Union. Given that Europe is developing and taking on more member states, is this the future for senior Irish politicians?

We are in challenging times with three member states in bailout programmes and Cyprus heading that way too. The people are suffering financially. There is no government in Bulgaria. Italian voters were so disillusioned, 20% of them thought there was nothing wrong with voting for comedians. Given that austerity is hurting people and that Europe needs to consolidate and convey its message back to the people, are we doing it as well as we can? I feel Ireland is rather unique in Europe in so far as our Constitution requires referenda on European treaties. It provides a shock system to the electorate to decide on treaties such as Lisbon. This debate on the future of Europe is so important that it has to be extended to higher and lower political levels, right through to all elected public representatives.

As regards the future of Britain in the European Union, I presume Northern Ireland would be part of the in or out scenario. Its Assembly already has eurosceptics such as Sinn Féin. I am not quite sure where the DUP stands in the euro ball game. I agree we must do all we can in our power to keep Northern Ireland in the European Union. Notwithstanding the tendency to be opportunistic and say the Brits are out, let us start playing on the insecurity of foreign direct capital, target it for Ireland and ignore the English and all of that, we do need them in at all costs.

These are rambling comments that the delegation might pick up on in their responses.