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

I will take the liberty of asking Mr. Lidington a very direct question. The decision to reduce rather than increase funding under the multi-annual financial framework has been hailed as something of a victory by the British Government. To what extent is the Conservative Party's position in this debate motivated by the perceived electoral threat presented by the United Kingdom Independence Party? Several UKIP representatives visited this country in an attempt to influence the outcome of the referendum on the fiscal treaty. We did not particularly welcome their intervention, but the people ultimately endorsed the treaty by a margin of three to two.