Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and thank them for coming before the committee to give their views. I wish them well during their tenure in the European Parliament.

To what extent are the Members committed to and to what extent can they be effective in mobilising opinion within the EU towards concentrating on a peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians with particular reference to the need to establish an ongoing structure whereby the aggrieved parties on whatever side could regularly bring their grievances for a hearing and with a view to replacing operations such as Operation Cast Lead or the most recent intrusions, such being the much better option?

On the financial services sector, what is the extent to which consideration is being given to a financial transactions tax? What support is there for such a tax within the European Union? Is it accepted that such a proposal would need to be universally accepted? Acceptance in one country or a group of countries would result in serious decimation of the financial services in that country or those countries. Are the implications fully recognised?

What is the extent, if any, to which Ireland's 12.5% corporation tax rate is an issue for discussion in the European Union? We have seen some misinformed and uninformed discussions of and comments on the subject that would be detrimental to our island's position in its attempt at economic recovery and as an international and central trader in the global market, having particular regard to the fact that 90% of what we produce in this country is exported and that we have had the benefit of a significant level of foreign direct investment.

To what extent do the witnesses see themselves playing a role in that debate, which has to be fair, equitable, Europe-wide and Europe-based, but also conscious of the needs of our own economy?

Jobs, investment and growth are other areas that have been mentioned and are very important. We have discussed them on numerous occasions as a committee. With interest rates at an all-time low, it must be a good time to encourage growth through investment. Job creation projects must be seen as important. In that context, would it be possible for the EU to adopt a Europe-wide policy to identify areas that lack growth and economic promotion, irrespective of country or border, with a view to stimulating investment and growth? In the first instance this policy should identify the extent to which infrastructure is required in those areas to facilitate growth. There is a general feeling that the areas of largest population throughout Europe enjoy a greater possibility of economic recovery than other areas. In this country, greater efforts have been made and greater success has been achieved in returning to some kind of growth than in most other countries within the eurozone.

The early warning system is of great importance in all aspects of European law, particularly in fiscal and economic areas. It has to be possible and should have been possible for the red light to appear on the screen a long time before we tip over the edge and find ourselves in need of financial bailouts. To what extent can the MEPs, individually and collectively, influence concentration on those areas with a view to ensuring no country in the EU finds itself in a position where economic crisis creeps up on it without an early warning system?

Certain objectives have been laid down in respect of Europe 2020. I mention specifically our own Food Harvest 2020 because 90% of what we produce is exported. That is a sizeable area of importance for us. What are the MEPs' views on both these areas?

Energy is a critical element of European infrastructure. Some parts of the EU have ready access and some do not. We are especially isolated when it comes to a reliable energy source over which we have control. To what extent do the MEPs see themselves as being in a position to play a role in developing alternative reliable energy sources, throughout the EU but in this country in particular? I would hope that this could be done through the political groupings. Going back to the old story, everyone says each country should have more influence on European policy, but with 27 or 28 member states, each country exerting more influence on European policy will beg the question of where it breaks down. Does each country recognise the need for the others' existence?

There is a huge deficiency in housing in this country, which has been growing for many years. We will find ourselves in a very serious position in a year's time. It will come up much more quickly than we think. The degree of homelessness and the threat of it is significant, in particular in the greater Dublin area but it is even worse in adjoining counties like Wicklow, Kildare and Meath. When negative equity in respect of house prices begins to recede, it is of benefit to the lending sector but has the opposite effect on the unfortunate people who are hoping to be housed. To what extent do the MEPs, individually and collectively, through Europe, encourage the early launch of some system whereby funding for that purpose can be provided? Every one of the members present, including myself, has spent a lot of time working on this issue over recent years. There is a difficulty because if something appears on the national balance sheet, it is a no-no. However, there are other ways of doing it. The positive side is that there is a reduction in annual expenditure on rent support which is permanently resolved.

There are many issues and I have no doubt that more will arise over the next years. I, like all of my colleagues present, could go on asking questions for a long time. We believe that policy in Europe can have a positive or negative impact on us. We can have a positive impact on Europe and it can have a positive impact on us. We are committed Europeans. We cannot have influence in an institution the size of the EU while saying we are only half Europeans, that we do not intend to stay here except for a short while, or that we are just visitors to see what can happen for the time being. Things do not work that way; we have to have a commitment. Our commitment will determine the outcome of the modern Europe. In the course of this Commission and this Parliament, Europe is going to see changes it has not seen before. If it does not act with commitment, the European project may waver and crack. The consequences of this for all European countries, within and outside the eurozone, will be catastrophic.