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

I do not know whether I am being artificially lulled into a sense of optimism. My memory of the British Prime Minister's attempts to renegotiate treaties was of a very virulent, hard-hitting and destructive campaign as a reaction to the growth of UKIP in the early days. Today we are hearing more about Mr. Cameron's position that he vigorously campaigned to remain in Europe. The Minister of State has spoken of the plausibility of the other 27 members accepting that we can negotiate with the UK and that by 18 or 19 February, all will be rosy in the garden. That strikes me as somewhat contradictory. I do not know whether the Prime Minister of Great Britain acted improperly under duress from the growth of the extreme right wing in England and whether this is gamesmanship by him and a belief that he will succeed if he shouts and roars enough. He has promised the British people revolutionary reform and reform of treaties. He has said openly and publicly that he will not argue in favour of Europe unless he succeeds in the negotiations.

I will ask the Minister of State the hardcore questions. What will Mr. Cameron sell to the British people if the other 27 nations are happy to concede? I have always conceded one of the points the Minister of State mentioned, namely, fraud and abuse of the welfare system. What country would not argue for the elimination of fraud and abuse of welfare systems? It is natural and we do not support fraud in the welfare system in this country. That is easily conceded but is not the key point Mr. Cameron was making. In so far as I can understand his position, it was that the power and sovereignty of national parliaments was being lost. The British argued they were losing their sovereign status, being engulfed by the other 27 nations and being neutered in the process. Will the Minister of State enlighten me as to how it all seems to be so much on an even keel at the moment?

The key question is what plan B is for the Republic or for Europe if the electorate in the UK rejects these revolutionary changes that Mr. Cameron is seeking to achieve by negotiations and banging the table with his European partners. Ireland played its own role in the negotiations. Did we make any positive contribution to the debate on the arguments with Mr. Cameron to facilitate his position? I cannot quite figure out how we are so lovey-dovey on the one hand without making a contribution to his political demands.