Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his contribution. Unlike colleagues, I will not focus on the detail of Brexit, as it has been raised by the other members. The Taoiseach spoke about it in the Seanad last week and the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, will be in the Seanad tomorrow for statements on the issue. We have a fair idea what Ireland's key aims are going into the negotiations process. What are the initial collective aims of the other 26 members states? What issues were discussed perhaps not necessarily formally but on the margins of the EU summit in Bratislava? Politically within the European People's Party, EPP, has there been any discussion of a co-ordinated response by governments where the EPP is in control, as it is here?

As the Minister of State mentioned, Brexit has led to a new discussion on the future of Europe, where is it going and how to reconnect with the citizens, which Deputy Haughey mentioned at some length. The Minister of State commented on the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker's emphasis on being big on the big things. That is crucial in bringing the EU back to the people in terms of re-awakening their interest, commitment and enthusiasm for the European Union, an enthusiasm that is waning rapidly on the Continent, if less so here. I am very much convinced that there is a need for a major EU investment plan, as was mentioned in President Juncker's ten-point plan. We need to see big European projects similar to those we saw here in the 1980s with the investment of infrastructural funds and the road building projects which are clearly European and have been funded by the EU without them being claimed as Government projects.

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, is the subject of a Seanad Private Members' motion to be taken tomorrow evening and we have had a few briefings on it. I agree with the Minister of State that it is beneficial, as is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, but it is facing considerable opposition from the labour movement here and especially on the Continent. I am concerned the argument highlighting the benefits of CETA and TTIP is not being made well enough by the European Union and, more importantly, by the people who will benefit most from them, ordinary European citizens, the business and agricultural leaders. All the sectors could point to the big things that being part of the European Union would allow us to do and to champion. I fear an information vacuum has developed and that vacuum is being filled by the hard left and by people who are opposing it and giving misinformation, although others may disagree on that, and focusing on elements that are detrimental.

I wish to raise the issue of Russia. The situation in Ukraine has led to the current situation and the sanctions, about which there will not be any change. While the Ukrainian situation is being discussed, we cannot neglect to focus on the current activities of Russia in Syria, especially in Aleppo. It was raised by Senator Bacik on the Order of Business today in the Seanad. As much as we need to discuss the Ukraine, and the European Union has been firm in that and I commend the actions relating to sanctions, with the harrowing pictures that we are seeing and the impact of the airstrikes, we cannot lose sight of the situation in Syria.